The government has directed public universities to charge uniform fees to students from East African countries studying in Uganda.

Jessica Alupo said the directive would take effect this academic year 2014/15.

“We have given a directive to all public universities to charge the same fees to students from the East African region like what they charge Ugandans. This is already happening in Tanzania, Kenya and Rwanda,” she said.

She noted that the ministry is just putting into action a directive already issued by the East African heads of state.

The Minister of Education and Sports was speaking at the opening of a leadership conference at Makerere University on Wednesday 6th.

The leadership conference is running  under the theme: “African States: Competing Identities and Democratisation”,

Participants from leading universities from Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Kenya and Burundi turned up for the conference.

President Museveni had earlier directed the ministry of Education to harmonise tuition fees for all university students from East African member states, saying it is a shame for higher institutions of learning in Uganda to charge higher tuition fees for students from other states at a time of regional integration.

Public universities in Uganda include: Makerere university, Kyambogo university, Mbarara university of Science and Technology, Gulu university, Busitema University and Muni university which is opening this month.(August 2014)