There are growing concerns about the increasing number of Kenyan and other East African primary school learners enrolling in schools across Uganda without proper registration, particularly in border districts.
Uganda’s Directorate of Citizenship and Immigration Control has raised alarms, urging schools to avoid enrolling foreign students especially those from neighboring countries who lack valid student passes and have not been properly registered.
The influx of foreign students has been particularly noticeable at border points such as Malaba, Busia, Rwakhakha, and the West Nile region, where students frequently cross into Uganda to attend school but fail to register as foreign learners.
The Directorate has warned that these students risk being barred from sitting for national exams due to non-compliance with immigration regulations.
Simon Mundeyi, spokesperson for Uganda’s Ministry of Internal Affairs, stressed the serious consequences of this situation, explaining that students without proper registration face difficulties when attempting to register for national exams, as they do not possess Learner Identification Numbers.
These IDs are required for exam registration and are only issued to Ugandan nationals or officially registered foreign students.
While Uganda hosts approximately 50,000 foreign students, only 14,000 are properly registered.
This discrepancy is particularly significant in border areas with Kenya, South Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, where many students commute daily to Ugandan schools without the necessary documentation.
Local families in these areas often cross borders for educational purposes, but schools must ensure that these students are officially registered to avoid legal complications.
Foreign learners from East African Community (EAC) member states are eligible for free student passes, while students from non-EAC countries are required to pay a fee of $100 (around 360,000 Ugandan shillings).
One school facing challenges with foreign students is Tororo Progressive Academy, which has a large number of Kenyan nationals.
Headteacher Jovan Awira Obel shared that 100 out of 921 students are Kenyan, and they face consistent difficulties when trying to register for identification numbers.
Additionally, equating academic qualifications is an expensive and often burdensome process for parents.
Obel noted that these challenges are not unique to his school, as many others in the region face similar issues.
Immigration authorities have once again emphasized the importance of proper registration to avoid disruptions to students’ education and ensure compliance with national policies on cross-border education.
Schools that have enrolled unregistered learners have been advised to take immediate action to regularize their status.
In related news, Uganda was recently ranked among the top three African destinations for immigrants, according to the United Nations’ World Migration Report 2024.
Uganda edged out Kenya to secure the third spot, while Kenya ranked seventh.
South Africa topped the list, followed by countries such as Cote d’Ivoire, Sudan, Nigeria, and Ethiopia, which were also popular choices for immigrants.
The report noted that the gender distribution of migrants in top African destinations is largely balanced, with only slight differences between countries.
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