Gov’t moves to validate staff in public schools

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Ministry of Education and Sports has started a nationwide validation exercise of staff in public schools.

Recently, the Uganda National Teacher’s Union-UNATU requested the government to make an update of its payroll to ascertain the teachers who will be available when the schools reopen.

Filbert Baguma, UNATU General Secretary argued that it was wrong for the government to work on assumptions that all teachers are still in the profession.

“When schools reopen, we need all hands on deck. It will be bad for the government to assume that teachers are still there. Some of our friends have died in recent years, others have reached retirement age while others have walked out of the profession,” Baguma noted.

A report by the National Planning Authority-NPA warned that the return of teachers, even those on payroll, might not be automatic given the fact that many of them have been exposed to very many alternative options of making money while those who will return are likely to be more absent as they try to balance school and private business times.

Sam Kuloba, the Commissioner in Charge of Secondary Education, has sent out a circular to all headteachers across the country informing them about the staff validation exercises.

“The education service commission in conjunction with the department of secondary education has planned to carry out a nationwide validation of all teaching and non-teaching staff… all headteachers are required to submit soft copies and hard copies of the list,” the circular reads in part.

According to the circular, headteachers have up to November 19, 2021, to conduct the validation exercise. A source at the ministry says a similar programme will also be conducted in primary schools with headteachers required to personally confirm with their teachers whether they are still interested in working and also mobilize them to report to school to embark on preparations.

“We are racing against time, after staff validation, the government will know the actual available working force and take measures on how to fill gaps if any is found. Those who will be validated will undergo training on the condensed curriculum and start preparation on reopening by making schemes for work and lesson plans,” the source says.

On whether there will be plans to recruit more staff to fill the vacancies, Dr Asuman Lukwago, the secretary to the Education Service Commission noted that this would be a decision taken by higher authorities.

“That is not something I can talk about, maybe the PS (permanent secretary) will guide,” Dr Lukwago said.

****

URN