Following the tragic death of Elishammah Ssesazi, a 16-year-old Senior Three student at Seeta High School in Mukono, allegedly linked to the denial of pocket money. The student reportedly asked his father, a businessman by the same surname, for UGX 2,000,000. Upon not receiving the money, the boy took his own life.
Along with other similar cases not widely reported by school committees or media outlets, this incident highlights a growing concern like school dropouts due to peer pressure stemming from schools’ negligence to regulate minimum student pocket money. These cases, including extravagant prom parties where students arrive in helicopters and luxury vehicles, place financial pressure on parents—those already struggling with the high cost of education in Uganda while students who are unable to match these financial expectations feel isolated, experience lower self-esteem, and struggle academically due to stress and distraction.
The Original Purpose of Pocket Money
Originally, pocket money was a small allowance given to boarding students to cover incidental expenses beyond the essential supplies provided. It also offered students some flexibility in their food choices if they found the school’s meals unappealing on a particular day.
The Consequences of Unregulated Student Pocket Money
The current trend of unregulated large sums of money given to boarding students (for instance, UGX 12,000,000 as pocket money) creates a significant disparity, putting students with fewer resources at risk of bullying and being lured into harmful activities like drug use, sexual activity, and even exploitative relationships. Gay habits? Another day!
The desire to acquire what one cannot currently afford without working for it—they’re students—can lead to theft. For vulnerable students, theft may seem like the only way to emulate their rich kid peers (Kids with wealthier backgrounds) who carry millions in their wallets. One must question how these students spend such large sums of money.
The Teacher-Student Financial Disparity
Given the widespread issue of underpaid teachers and their challenging livelihoods in Uganda, consider the dynamic between boarding students with a pocket money sum, for instance, UGX 15,000,000 and a history teacher earning a monthly salary of UGX 950,000. Beyond the obvious disrespect, there are deeper implications here.
The Need for Pocket Money Regulation
The increasing commercialization of education in Uganda poses a serious threat to schools to students—and the delicate balance between schools as educational institutions and their role as service providers. This is particularly evident when addressing sensitive issues like student spending.
It is crucial for all Ugandan schools, in agreement with parents (through PTAs), to set a minimum pocket money sum for boarding and day students, based on the school’s standards. This will help Ugandan students focus on their education rather than negotiating with parents for larger pocket money sums or succumbing to peer pressure from wealthier students.
Many Ugandan parents already feel exploited by some school fees like development charges in privately owned institutions. Setting a minimum student pocket money, along with regulations on the scale of gifts at visitation days and prom parties, would alleviate this financial burden.
The Role of Schools in Regulating Student Pocket Money
While schools may argue that pocket money is solely the parents’ responsibility, how can they address the situation where some wealthy parents consider pocket money of UGX 20,000,000 a “fair” amount? Unless schools, to whom parents entrust their children’s care and education, establish clear standards, parents will likely provide according to their financial positions, creating an uneven playing field for students. This can have tragic consequences, as illustrated by the Elishammah Ssesazi death case. The ongoing investigation will hopefully reveal the circumstances surrounding the young man’s request for UGX 12 million. Was he in debt? Was it peer pressure? Had he received threats? These are some of the questions investigators are likely exploring.
May the young man’s soul rest in peace.
