Online registration puzzling teachers

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Several teachers have failed to register on the Teacher Management and Information System-TMIS in the ongoing registration of teachers nationwide. Last year, the Education and Sports Ministry introduced the Teacher Management and Information System (TMIS) to streamline the registration of teachers so as to harmonize their records for better planning and management.

According to the guidelines, teachers are required to provide their bio data and upload their academic documents on the designated website. However, the seemingly simple four steps activity is puzzling teachers.

Ibra Kakembo, a teacher in Mpigi district, says after hustling to get his document certified at Kyambogo University in a process he describes as a ‘tag of war’, they thought the online registration would be simple, which isn’t the case.

Kakembo has tried to register on the website six times in vain. “The system is complicated; it keeps on taking you (the user) over and over to already finish the steps before it definitely closes. After trying six times even with help from those who registered already,” he said.

Richard Ssetongo, a teacher blames the failure by several teachers to register on computer illiteracy. Ssetongo says he personally failed to use the system and had to part with Shillings 30,000, which he paid to a café attendant to take him through.

Rebecca Akello, another teacher notes that in many districts, more so up country, they are faced with the challenge of access to computers and internet. Akello asks government to provide a computer to each school to simplify the process.

Some teachers this reporter has talked say they uploaded their documents only to get emails indicating that they were not successful, which is frustrating.

Hajji Abdul Majid Nkuutu Kibedi, the Principal Education Officer in charge of the registration exercise, notes that many of these are giving in unwanted documents leaving.

For example, Kibedi says some teachers have been attaching their marriage certificates, which isn’t a requirement and end up being bounced.

Kibedi explains that teachers registering as grade three teachers have to submit their ‘O’ level pass slips or equivalent, certified copies Grade III pass slips and a national Identity card in PDF format.

In case a teacher doesn’t have a national identity card, they can use photocopies of their National Identification Regulatory Authority-NIRA registration form, which is proof that they are in the process of acquiring a National ID.

Filbert Baguma, the General Secretary Uganda National Teachers’ Union-Unatu also points out that they have identified a number of challenges with the system, which they have since communicated to the ministry. He says that in many cases where teachers have failed to register the system seemed to be down, which needs to be addressed.

The Education Ministry Permanent Secretary, Alex Kakooza accepts that they have had challenges with the system, which is hosted by the National Information Technology Authority-NITA.

Kakooza says the system has been breaking down and takes to get back, adding that they are taking all possible steps to resolve the challenges.

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