Published on 20/10/2024
President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has assured all teachers in public service that the government will enhance their salaries but in a phased manner.
“Our intention is very clear, the economy is growing and the inflation is low. Our target is to pay all the public servants well but also increase the numbers of the public servants. When we closed schools during Corona, the number of learners who were sent home were 15 million. If you take the ratio of 50 learners per teacher, that means we need 300,000 teachers for 15 million children but now we are not able to hire them,” he said.
President Museveni made the remarks today while officiating at the belated World Teachers Day celebrations held at Lugogo Cricket Oval, Kampala. The celebrations ran under the theme: “Valuing Teachers Voices Towards a New Social Contract for Education”.
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He explained that due to effective planning and prioritising, the government started with the enhancement of salaries of science teachers, but the arts teachers will also be worked on.
“We should start with something that would get us to a higher level. For example, the availability of electricity will mean more factories and more businesses and that means more taxes and so on.”
The President further informed the teachers that the NRM government came into power at a time when the economy of Uganda had collapsed and it had a task to revive and expand it through diversification and introducing a new economy of knowledge.
He said on top of that task, the government needs money to support social services like health and education.
“We had multiple tasks, first of all we were trying to make the economy recover from collapse and expand it. At the same time, we have got the other task of not just dealing with a small number of learners but dealing with a large group of learners. If we dealt with the small group, we would have a few teachers to teach them and they could be paid very well. A few teachers to teach a few but what would be the impact on the country?” he wondered.
President Museveni added that due to the idea of prioritising mass education, in spite of all the problems the country has, the literacy rate has gone from 43 percent to 76 percent now.
“Those who were laughing at our strategy, now you see? Everything we do is mass because we try to empower everybody; Mass education, mass immunisation, security for all to bring peace in the whole country.”
Additionally, President Museveni assured the teachers that the government will examine the issue of a holiday for Teachers Day.
On the other hand, the President fulfilled his pledge of Shs20 billion to support the three National Teachers Savings and Credit Cooperative Organizations (SACCOs). This follows a pledge he made during last year’s World Teachers’ Day celebrations on October 5, 2023.
The funds, directed to the SACCOs, are expected to provide much-needed financial support to teachers, particularly in rural areas, where access to affordable credit has been limited.
In his closing remarks, President Museveni expressed gratitude to Ireland for its continuous support to Uganda, particularly in the education sector.
“I want to thank Ireland, they are very good friends, always helping sincerely, and their teachers are doing a great job,” he added.
The First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Maama Janet Museveni commended the teachers for nurturing humanity through education.
She also thanked President Museveni for always supporting the education and Sports sector.
“Your unwavering commitment to selfless service of our homeland is truly inspiring and we deeply appreciate your continued support for the teacher’s fraternity,” Maama Janet noted.
The First Lady also lauded the teachers for the perseverance that has enabled them to contribute to the socio-economic transformation of Uganda.
“In an era that continues to press increasing demands on the teacher, some have opted to exit the practice of this noble profession. On the other hand, some teachers have chosen to adapt to the dynamic context of the profession but on a day such as this, we recognize the contribution by both past and present teachers with this hope that a new generation of teachers is also rising to carry on with the noble call,” she said.
“As it is obvious to all of us, the current generation of teachers is neither the first nor the last we shall have as a country, there are those who have gone before you whose voices from the ages of the past still ring as loud today. Those voices of the past teachers still ring as loud today because of the indelible mark they left on our lives when we were learners.”
She also urged that the society has a lot of expectations from teachers such as their presence to the learners, role models in conduct and behaviour and protectors of learners.
“Those are some of the values that we all hold dear to when we think of an exemplary teacher,” Maama Janet expounded.
As much as policymakers are working to improve the teaching profession, Maama Janet reminded the audience that the core of the problem lies in individual accountability.
“As much as policymakers can do what is possible within their means to improve the outward form of the teaching profession, there are issues of the heart of the teacher that only the teacher knows and can address,” she said.
The Minister also highlighted the contrasting attitudes between teachers in the private and public schools, pointing out that despite earning less and often facing irregular payments, private school teachers show up more diligently than their public-sector counterparts, who are paid better and more regularly.
“It is not just about the vigilance of the supervisor in the private school but the degree to which this teacher treasures the job they have,” she said.
Addressing government efforts to support the teaching profession, Maama Janet acknowledged the resource constraints that have delayed the equal pay rise for all teachers but reaffirmed the government’s commitment to improving the welfare of its employees.
She urged patience, emphasising that when the time comes for all teachers, the increments will be meaningful.
“If that was to be the case [spreading the little money currently available], the little that you would get would be meaningless to all of you—and then you would all be in the same situation that we are trying to lift out everyone but one at a time,” she explained.
The Minister also highlighted the government’s efforts to professionalise teaching through the National Teacher Policy approved in 2019 and the upcoming National Teacher Bill 2024, currently under consideration in Parliament.
The First Lady also took the opportunity to thank Uganda’s international partners, particularly Ireland, for their continued support in improving the skills of Ugandan teachers.
She acknowledged that over 200 Ugandan teachers have travelled to Ireland to benchmark best practices since 2016, with those who returned continuing to excel in their work.
“I want to thank God for making Ireland a blessing to Uganda. Ambassador Kevin Colgan and your predecessor, Ambassador William John Carlos thank you for being used by God to not only wish us well but also support our teachers to have the opportunity to learn from their fellow professionals in Ireland,” she said.
The Minister of State for Primary Education, Dr. Joyce Moriku Kaducu underscored the importance of teachers in guiding, inspiring and mentoring the people of Uganda.
“They have helped us to become better citizens of this country,” the Minister said.
“Your Excellency, I want to thank you publicly for the big heart, the passion and the investment you have put in the education sector.”
The Permanent Secretary-Ministry of Education and Sports, Dr. Kedrace Turyagyenda thanked the teachers for their dedication to serve Uganda.
“Your Excellency, our role as teachers is invaluable because we are an inner profession that is normally aligned with our Lord Jesus Christ. We together with parents are the only category in society that God entrusts with every child that is born so that we develop them in mind, body, soul, personality, character and values,” she said.
“As we serve as teachers, let us always remember that we have a God-given assignment to ensure that every child that comes to our schools receives holistic and quality education and becomes a useful adult.”
Dr. Turyagyenda also stressed the importance of teachers in fulfilling Uganda’s Vision 2040, the national framework for the country’s socio-economic transformation.
“The role of education is the cornerstone of the government’s policy and is essential for the country’s development as highlighted in the pillars of Vision 2040, every child matters, and every child’s achievement depends on accessing the right education,” she noted.
The Permanent Secretary also touched on the ongoing education reforms, particularly the new lower secondary curriculum, which has been a subject of significant discussion among educators.
“I am glad to hear that teachers’ representatives acknowledge that the new curriculum is what we needed,” she said, underscoring the importance of teacher support for the success of these reforms.
On the other hand, Mr. Sow Mamadou Lamine, Chief of Education and Senior Programme Specialist at UNESCO’s Multisectoral Regional Office for Eastern Africa while representing development partners, addressed the growing challenges faced by the teaching profession, emphasising the need for global cooperation to resolve the crisis.
“Education systems are at a crossroads, facing unprecedented challenges that jeopardise the future of learning and teaching across the world,” Mr. Lamine said.
He went ahead to highlight the findings from the first ever UNESCO and Teacher Task Force Global Report on Teachers, which paints a bleak picture of the state of the teaching profession.
“The teaching profession is in crisis, with declining social recognition, which exacerbates teacher shortages and makes the profession less appealing,” he said.
He also outlined a series of critical issues contributing to this crisis.
“Low pay, excessive workloads, reduced autonomy, and inadequate resources are pushing talented individuals out of the teaching profession, putting millions of students at risk,” Mr. Lamine noted.
He emphasised the importance of restoring trust in the teaching profession by empowering educators to take an active role in decision-making.
Mr. Evans Mutesasira who spoke on behalf of the seven teachers Unions in the country, appreciated President Museveni for the unwavering support and advocacy towards teachers in Uganda.
He also thanked the President for taking a positive step in enhancing the salaries of science teachers.
“This significant decision has had a profound impact on science teachers nationwide, serving as evidence of the government’s commitment to invest in quality education. We commend Your Excellency for this progressive action,” he said.
“Additionally, I would like to express our deep gratitude to you, Your Excellency, for fulfilling your pledge of Shs 20 billion towards the National Teachers SACCOs that you pledged during the last Teachers Day on the 5th of October, 2023.”
Meanwhile, in a bid to celebrate the remarkable contributions of Uganda’s educators, Vision Group, led by the Chief Executive Officer , Mr. Don Wanyama, presented awards to 12 exceptional teachers as part of the “Teachers Making a Difference” competition.
The initiative launched by Vision Group , which seeks to recognize the tireless efforts of teachers in shaping Uganda’s future, received over 1,300 nominations from across the country.
After a rigorous selection process, 12 outstanding teachers emerged as winners. Each was awarded a cash prize of Shs 2 million and additional support in kind worth Shs 2.5 million of their choice.
In an exciting development, Mr. Wanyama said that the top six winners will travel to Ireland for professional development courses, an opportunity aimed at enhancing their teaching skills and enriching Uganda’s education system.
Mr. Moses Echweru was named the overall winner, recognized for his extraordinary contributions to the education sector.
The other winners included, Ms. Joyce Kia, St. Maxiensia Babirye, Mr. John Bosco Katende, Ms. Monica Okello, Ms. Italina Logwe, Ms. Beatrice Wochaya Katami, Mr. Baraba Aineomugisha, Ms. Ratib Abasi Atiku, Ms. Cate Nansubuga, Ms. Safia Maua, and Mr. John Wabwire.
The event was also attended by the Minister of State for Sports, Hon. Peter Ogwang, the Minister of State for Kampala Capital City and Metropolitan Affairs, Hon. Kabuye Kyofatogabye, Hon. Hellen Asamo ,the Minister of State for Disability Affairs, Heads of Diplomatic Missions, Members of Parliament, Members of the Education Service Commission, Education Development Partners, Students, among others.
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