The Directorate of Citizenship and Immigration Control has cautioned Ugandan schools against enrolling foreign students lacking proper registration and student passes.
This warning comes as thousands of foreign students, particularly in border districts, risk being barred from sitting national examinations due to non-compliance with immigration regulations.
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Registration Challenges
According to Simon Mundeyi, spokesperson for the Ministry of Internal Affairs, students without proper registration face significant challenges when attempting to register for national exams. “They lack Learner Identification Numbers, which are only issued to Ugandan nationals or officially registered foreign students,” Mundeyi explained ¹.
Discrepancy in Registration Numbers
Uganda hosts approximately 50,000 foreign students, but only 14,000 are officially registered. The discrepancy is most pronounced along borders with Kenya, South Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, where many students commute daily to Ugandan schools without documentation.
Registration Requirements
Foreign learners from East African Community (EAC) member states are eligible for free student passes, while students from non-EAC countries must pay $100 (around Uganda shillings 360,000). To obtain a student pass, applicants must submit various documents, including a valid passport, student ID card, admission letter, and proof of payment of fees ².
Challenges Faced by Schools
Schools with significant numbers of foreign learners face ongoing challenges in registering these students. At Tororo Progressive Academy, for instance, 100 Kenyan nationals out of 921 students face consistent difficulties registering for identification numbers. Equating their academic qualifications is also expensive, and many parents struggle to meet this requirement.
Immigration authorities have reiterated the importance of compliance to avoid disruption of students’ education and ensure lawful practices in cross-border education. Schools enrolling unregistered learners have been advised to regularize their status promptly.
