Without UNITE, training of new primary, nursery teachers remains in limbo

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The training of new primary and nursery school teachers in Uganda is currently in limbo because of the significant delays in the opening of the Uganda National Institute of Teacher Education (UNITE).

This setback comes nearly five years after the Ministry of Education raised the minimum qualification for teachers to a degree, in response to the growing demand for educators driven by Uganda’s expanding population. Following the implementation of the 2019 National Teacher Policy, colleges affiliated with Kyambogo University ceased admitting new students for primary and nursery teacher education programs.

With no new entrants into teacher training programs, private school owners—who have traditionally been the main employers of primary and nursery school teachers—are increasingly voicing concerns about a looming shortage of qualified teachers.

During a recent meeting with the Ministry of Education at Greenhill Primary School in Kampala,  the National Private Educational Institutions Association (NPEIA), led by Hasadu Kirabira warned that, given the low retention rate of teachers in the profession, there will be a severe lack of primary and nursery school teachers in the coming years. Kirabira thus called for urgent action to address the gap in teacher supply.

“There is a pressing need to start training primary and nursery teachers before it’s too late. We are already seeing the effects of this shortage in private schools,” Kirabira said. The school owners also suggested that if the ministry is not ready to open the gate for new entrants, it should consider reopening the primary teacher colleges to admit Senior 4 leavers for Grade III teacher training, as they get ready to admit students on degree-level programs.

Despite these concerns, the Ministry of Education has dismissed the claims of a teacher shortage. For instance, in a recent interview, John Chrysostom Muyingo, the State Minister for Higher Education, asserted that Uganda has enough trained teachers to meet the country’s needs. “There are more than enough teachers in Uganda, and there is no impending crisis as suggested by the school owners,” Muyingo stated.

The World Bank’s 22nd Edition of the Uganda Economic Update, released on February 2, 2024, projects that Uganda’s primary-age population will grow from 9.4 million in 2020 to 12.9 million by 2040, based on moderate population growth estimates. The report also notes that, even under a “business as usual” scenario, where the education system only keeps pace with population growth, Uganda will require an additional 48,000 primary teachers.

This growing demand for teachers underscores the importance of a robust teacher training system. Before the closure of Primary Teachers’ Colleges, the country was producing an average of 9,000 Grade III teachers annually across 46 colleges. Each of these colleges admitted at least 200 students. For example, in the 2019 Primary Teacher College examinations, 9,493 students sat for their final assessments.

The closure of colleges, along with delays in opening the Uganda National Institute of Teacher Education (UNITE), has created a gap in teacher training, exacerbating the teacher shortage just as demand increases. The Ministry of Education established the Uganda National Institute of Teacher Education (UNITE) to oversee the training of primary school teachers, alongside other universities that will eventually gain accreditation.

UNITE, created under the Universities and Other Tertiary Institutions Act, underwent the necessary processes like any other public university, receiving approval from Parliament and accreditation from the National Council for Higher Education.

According to sources, the teacher training courses were approved, and the UNITE council has been appointed and holding regular meetings. The institute, based at Shimon Core PTC in Kira, was initially expected to open its doors for senior leavers in the August intake this year. However, due to unresolved issues, the planned opening did not occur.

“Due to several unresolved issues, the institute was unable to open as planned, and there have been ongoing discussions, politicking, and exchanges among members of the council,” said a source from the Ministry. The source added that some council members believe UNITE could open its doors for the January intake, but the question was on who would enroll given that there will be no fresh A-level leavers.

“The January intake is not ideal; that’s what some of us believe, as we might end up with upgrading teachers instead of the main target group of A-level leavers,” the source continued. Our reporter also learned that the council recently held a meeting in Jinja, where this issue was one of the key topics of discussion.

Dr. Denis Mugimba from the Ministry of Education assured that the issues delaying the opening of UNITE are being addressed, and everything is being worked on to ensure the institute opens as soon as possible. “Soon, we will be providing updates concerning UNITE,” he said.

Robert Bellarmine Okudi, the Commissioner for Education Planning in the Ministry of Education, also noted that the UNITE is now fully operational. He further revealed that the institute’s council is actively developing a five-year strategic plan to guide its growth and effectiveness.  “By next year, I have no doubt that it will be fully operational and running without fail,” said Okudi.

However, this has been the Ministry’s response since 2020, when a task force was formed to assist in establishing the teacher training institution. But, even if UNITE is to open today, it might take another three to four years before passing out any teachers. This is due to the fact the ministry proposes has been put at that the teacher education will last for four- three years of training and one for internship.

Meanwhile, as the public awaits the opening of UNITE, the Teachers’ Bill, which aims to enforce many provisions of the National Teacher Policy, has encountered resistance in Parliament. Several legislators are opposing the proposal that requires all teachers to have a degree as the minimum qualification.

When the bill was last presented for its second reading, the Chairperson of the Education Committee read out the majority report, while Joseph Ssewungu, the Shadow Minister for Education, presented the minority report. However, before the debate could begin, the Speaker of Parliament deferred the bill, promising to return it the following week. Despite being listed on the order paper; it was not yet reintroduced at the time when Parliament adjourned sine die.

Apart from opposition from MPs, the provision requiring a degree as the minimum qualification for teachers has been widely debated by the public and educators alike since it was first proposed. This issue was again highlighted during the consultations of the Amanya Mushega-led Education Policy Review Commission. Despite the pushback, Ministry officials, with support from development partners, appear unlikely to back down from their stance.

****

URN