Schools with inactive or non-functional Boards of Governors risk losing local government representation after Luwero District resolved to stop recommending members to boards that fail to meet regularly or perform their statutory responsibilities. District leaders say the decision is intended to strengthen accountability, improve governance and ensure Boards of Governors effectively oversee the management of secondary schools and other post-primary institutions.
Under the Education Act, 2008, local governments nominate one representative to the 12-member Board of Governors for secondary schools and other post-primary institutions. A duly constituted Board of Governors is also a mandatory requirement for a school to obtain a licence from the Ministry of Education and Sports. Boards of Governors are mandated to provide strategic direction, ensure compliance with Ministry of Education policies, oversee school finances, approve institutional policies, supervise staff recruitment and discipline, and promote accountability and improved learning outcomes.
The decision follows findings by the Luwero District Education Department and the District Council that many Boards of Governors, particularly in private schools, are either inactive or fail to convene meetings as required by law. Luwero District LC V Chairperson Erastus Kibirango said investigations revealed that some private school proprietors only seek district recommendations to satisfy licensing requirements but later exclude local government representatives from board meetings and governance processes.
According to Kibirango, none of the district representatives serving on private school boards submitted reports during the previous term. Follow-up inquiries established that many had never been invited to attend board meetings. He said the practice has left some schools operating like family businesses with limited oversight, contributing to governance challenges such as disputes over student discipline, corporal punishment and student strikes.As a result, the District Executive Committee has directed the Chief Administrative Officer to write to all private schools, warning that the district will no longer recommend representatives to Boards of Governors that are not functional.
The district also warned headteachers of government Seed Secondary Schools against sidelining local government representatives and taking direction exclusively from foundation bodies. Kibirango emphasized that although religious organisations donated land for the establishment of some Seed Secondary Schools, the institutions remain government-owned and must be managed in accordance with the law.
“I also want to clarify that Seed Secondary Schools are government-owned, and we appreciate the foundation bodies for donating land for their establishment. However, this should not be interpreted to mean that foundation bodies have exclusive authority over their management,” he said. Butuntumula Sub-county LC III Chairperson Imran Mukiibi said local authorities have also encountered cases where foundation bodies nominate individuals who lack the competence to serve on Boards of Governors. He said sub-county leaders will no longer endorse appointments of unqualified individuals to school governing boards, whether in private or government institutions.
Some private school directors, who spoke on condition of anonymity, defended their institutions, saying Boards of Governors do meet, although not as frequently as required due to financial constraints. Others acknowledged delays in convening meetings, adding that district representatives were often invited only during major school events rather than regular governance sessions.
District officials have urged all Boards of Governors to comply with the Education Act by holding regular meetings, making timely decisions on school affairs and effectively discharging their oversight responsibilities. They stressed that, going forward, only schools with active and functional Boards of Governors will qualify for local government representation-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
