Educationalists in Jinja have urged the government to expedite the formulation of a teacher policy to streamline the education system in Uganda.
Concerned educators argue that the absence of a teacher policy to regulate teachers has adversely impacted the education sector, particularly affecting science teachers who no longer heed school administrators due to salary discrepancies.
During the Annual General Meeting of Teachers, conducted under the Secondary Schools Science and Mathematics (SESEMAT) umbrella for the Jinja region, various stakeholders in the education sector expressed their concerns regarding the behavioural changes observed in some science teachers. They claim that these teachers are now less responsive to school administrators since their salaries have increased.
Jackline Kalule Kuteesa the Chairperson of SESEMAT Jinja which encompasses the districts of Buyende, Kamuli, Luuka and Jinja says, many head teachers are finding difficulties in supervising Science teachers who feel they’re big because the teachers earn more than they do.
The Jinja District Education Officer, Paul Baliraine, revealed that he has received numerous complaints about some science teachers becoming problematic in schools after their salaries were increased, as they have started moonlighting at other institutions.
“Indeed, the science teachers are now market, hence they keep on moonlighting at different schools which has affected the education sector since the new curriculum requires close interaction of learners with teachers” said Baliraine
Mathias Isabirye, the Chairperson of Headteachers in Jinja District and Headteacher of Jinja College attributed the indispensability of science teachers to their scarcity in the country.
Many schools are short of science teachers yet science subjects are compulsory hence there is a need for more science teachers to be recruited to bridge the gap.
On behalf of the Ministry of Education and Sports Christopher Ojama said the Teacher Policy shall solve shenanigans in the education sector, whereby head teachers shall be more empowered under the new policy hence the indispensability of teachers shall be dealt with.
Under the new Teacher Policy, all teachers shall work on a contract basis renewable after some time.
The head teachers also launched their new home of SESEMAT Jinja Region which cost 120 million.
The money was collected from different schools where each student contributed shs 1000 every term.
