Summary:

• Rt. Hon. Nabbanja Robinah has warned teachers in government Aided schools to desist from taking multiple loans or else government bans such an arrangement.

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NAKASEKE, (Examiner) – The Prime Minister Rt. Hon. Nabbanja Robinah has warned teachers in government Aided schools to desist from taking multiple loans or else government bans such an arrangement.

Nabbanja said that some teachers fail to attend to the pupils and students in fear of being arrested by the money lenders while in class.

“If you the teachers do not stop the habit of acquiring multiple loans from banks and money lenders I might be forced to come up with a policy to stop such arrangements,” warned Nabbanja.

According to the 2023 report by the Ministry of Education and Sports, in more than half of all Ugandan schools, at least 3 in 5 teachers are absent.

“This goes against one of the four core principles of the NRM – Patriotism. However, I believe this will change after. I want to thank the Ministry of Education and Sports for introducing the Teacher Effectiveness and Learner Achievement tracking system to monitor school attendance by teachers and learners. I hope this will help check teacher and learner absenteeism,” Nabbanja said.

The Premier made the remarks while delivering a keynote address to Patriotism Coordinators in schools at Oliver Tambo School of Leadership and Pan African centre for excellence, Kaweweta in Nakaseke District.

Oliver Tambo School of Leadership and Pan African centre for Excellence is a military institution named after one of South African freedom fighters who liberated South African from the Apartheid regime.

The centre was the training site for South Africa by President Yoweri Museveni during their quest for freedom for the black South Africans.

Nabbanja also warned Head Teachers in government schools that she will soon draft a policy to force head teachers to have their children in the same schools they are deployed as a measure to enforce quality education in schools.

Nabbanja said many of the head teachers prefer taking their children to private schools instead of government schools.

“Actually when children of the head teachers and teachers study in the same schools where they teach at least there will be some assurance that quality will be enforced,” said Nabbanja.

The Prime Minister believes that teachers who do not measure up to their expectations amount to corruption and subversion to his country Uganda and must be dealt with.

She also cautioned head teachers who are charging school fees in government schools to stop hence forthwith because such fees are a deterrent to children who cannot afford to pay money in schools.

Nabbanja made the keynote address that revolved around government policy on education, school lunch for pupils and students, illegal charges in government aided schools, keeping teenage mothers in school, teacher absenteeism and the right of every child to go to school and remain there among others.

The trainees were also addressed by Prof. Waswa Balunywa, the former Head of Makerere University Business School (MUBS).

About 170 Head teachers and Patriotism coordinators in schools attended the training in mindset change.