Over 300 Lubega Institute Students Hit by Fee Dispute, Musila Raises Alarm in Parliament

More than 300 students at Lubega Institute of Nursing and Health Professionals in Iganga District, including students preparing to complete their studies, have reportedly been affected by a dispute over tuition payments, Parliament has heard.

The matter was raised by Hon. John Musila, the Member of Parliament for Bubulo East County, who told Parliament that students were being accused of failing to clear their fees despite claiming that they had paid the required amounts through an agent operating within the institution.

According to Musila, the affected students paid money through the agent and were subsequently cleared by the institute's accounts office, only to later be informed that their payments could not be recognised.

The MP said the situation had created anxiety among the students, particularly finalists whose academic progress and completion of their programmes could be affected by the dispute.

Lubega Institute of Nursing and Health Professionals is located in Busei, Iganga District, and offers training in nursing, midwifery, allied health sciences and other professional programmes. The institution says it has thousands of students and has partnerships with several health facilities where students undertake practical training.

Students allegedly cleared before being accused

Musila told Parliament that the students' predicament stems from alleged irregularities surrounding the collection and accounting of tuition payments.

He said students followed what they believed was the institution's payment procedure by handing their money to an agent within the school.

After making the payments, the students were reportedly issued clearance by the accounts office, giving them the impression that their financial obligations had been settled.

However, Musila said the institution later questioned some of the transactions and accused the affected students of defrauding the school.

The MP's account raises questions about the responsibility of students who make payments through persons they understand to be authorised to collect fees and who subsequently receive clearance from the institution's own accounts department.

Students allegedly sent away at night

Musila further told Parliament that the situation escalated following a parents' meeting held on 1 October 2026.

He alleged that some students were sent away from the institution at night following the meeting. 

The circumstances surrounding the alleged eviction, including the number of students affected and whether alternative arrangements were provided, were not immediately clear.

The allegation is particularly significant because some of the affected students are finalists, meaning that disruption of their studies could potentially interfere with examinations, clinical training, graduation and entry into the job market.

Lubega Institute's own website recently announced that its students had commenced clinical placements in August 2026, an important stage of training for students pursuing health-related programmes.

Call for intervention

The issue places the spotlight on the need for the institution and the affected students to establish what happened to the disputed payments and determine responsibility for any irregularities.

If students made payments through an authorised or recognised agent and received official clearance from the accounts office, documentation such as receipts, payment registers, bank records, clearance forms and the agent's records could help establish whether the money was received and properly accounted for.

On the other hand, if the institution maintains that the agent was not authorised to collect the money or that some payments were fraudulent, the students would need to be given an opportunity to present their evidence and have the matter investigated fairly.

The dispute therefore goes beyond the question of outstanding fees, as it potentially involves accountability for tuition payments and the protection of students who rely on institutional financial procedures.

Institute has a large student population

Lubega Institute describes itself as a private training institution established in 2016. Its published information states that it has expanded significantly over the years and offers programmes in nursing, midwifery, medical sciences and other professional fields.

The institute has previously been in the public spotlight over the performance of its students. 

In March 2025, finalists at the institution appealed to government to improve basic supplies in health facilities, while the institute reported strong performance among students who had sat examinations. 

The latest fee dispute now puts the institution's financial administration and student-management systems under scrutiny.

For the affected students and their parents, the immediate concern is obtaining clarity over the disputed payments and ensuring that students who genuinely met their financial obligations are not prevented from completing their education because of administrative or agency-related problems.

What remains to be established

Several key questions will need to be answered as the matter is investigated:

Who authorised the agent to collect tuition payments?

Were the affected students issued official receipts?

Why were students cleared by the accounts office if their payments were subsequently disputed?

How much money is involved in the disputed transactions?

How many finalists are affected?

What evidence does the institution have to support allegations of fraud?

Why were some students allegedly sent away at night after the 1 October parents' meeting?

What mechanism has been provided for students and parents to appeal or reconcile the disputed payments?

Until these questions are answered, the allegations raised in Parliament remain claims attributed to MP Musila and should be distinguished from any findings that may emerge from an investigation.

The matter is likely to attract further attention from education authorities, parents and students, particularly if the dispute threatens to interrupt the studies or graduation of finalists.

Lubega Institute's management has not, in the information currently available, publicly responded to the specific allegations raised by Musila in Parliament.

A response from the institution would be important to clarify its position, explain the status of the disputed payments and outline what measures are being taken to resolve the matter.