The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Two top renowned educationist have weighed in on the situation of teachers in the COVID-19 era, and advised the teachers in Uganda to embrace entrepreneurship at the same time as they continue imparting knowledge.
Ahead of the education institutions re-opening for candidates and finalists, the retired national examinations chief and also former schools inspector Fagil Mandy has said that for teachers to be independent socially and economically, they should continue with small businesses that bring in more income but also help keep teachers in school.
Mandy says that the lessons they have learnt in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, and other future disasters should be backed by teaching knowledge which the teachers have but also entrepreneur skills for earning them ore money. Moreover, Mandy says, they can and should teach these entrepreneurial skills acquired through experience to their learners in schools.
Fagil Mandy says he has been under quarantine for six months, including all other teachers but remained looking after his farms, hotels plus writing literature.
The commemoration of the World Teachers’ Day for this year which came in the same week as Uganda marked its 58th Independence Anniversary, had the theme “Teachers’ Leading in Crisis, Re-imagining the Future.”
Prof. Waswa Balunywa, the Principal for Makerere University Business School (MUBS) says the teachers have to be emancipated financial to keep on running their businesses as well as teaching in order to realize a meaningful independence in Uganda.
He says that even reducing taxes from 30% to 20% among people like teachers is not enough – they should be given money directly for heir small enterprises.
Prof. Balunywa, says that this will make psychologically stable teachers, economically emancipated and dedicated to work and impart knowledge to pupils and students.
At least 1.2 million final year students are resuming studies this month after close to seven months at home. Their teachers, close to 500,000 mostly private across the country have not earned regular incomes and were not in class to teach, which may affect their delivery in class.
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