Summary:

• The Ministry of Education mandates all teachers in Uganda to register on the Education Management Information Systems (EMIS) by April 15th to improve education standards and eliminate ghost workers. Failure to comply may result in teaching prohibitions and salary delays.

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The Ministry of Education and Sports has mandated both public and private educational institutions to ensure the registration of all their educators on the Education Management Information Systems (EMIS) by April 15th. Ms. Ketty Lamaro, the ministry’s permanent secretary, conveyed this directive in a letter issued recently, warning that educators and institution heads failing to register on the Teachers Management Information System (TMIS) by the specified date will face teaching prohibitions.

Ms. Lamaro underscored the significance of this communication, stating, “It is imperative to remind you that individuals cannot engage in teaching within any public or private educational establishment without proper registration or licensing as per Section 11 of the Education Act.” She emphasized the urgency for all teachers’ registration on the TMIS platform by April 15th, 2024.

The ministry asserts that both TMIS and EMIS serve the purpose of eliminating unqualified personnel in the education sector, addressing ghost workers, and enhancing educational standards. Although the online registration for teachers commenced over five years ago, uptake has been sluggish due to incomplete submission of academic credentials by many educators.

According to the State Minister of Higher Education, Mr. John Chrysostom Muyingo, this registration aligns with the ministry’s agenda of digitizing the education sector. He emphasized the need for a comprehensive database of teachers to facilitate effective planning, especially in light of proposed salary increments and the eradication of ghost teachers.

The registration process mandates inclusion of the national identification number (NIN) to prevent duplicate entries. Additionally, EMIS requires educational institutions to report student enrollment, staff details, infrastructure, and resource needs.

Ms. Lamaro specified that failure to comply with EMIS registration by the stipulated deadline may result in delays in salary disbursement, urging government institutions to meet the deadline to facilitate grant distribution. Private institutions are similarly urged to complete registration by the end of the academic term.

However, stakeholders like Filbert Baguma from the Uganda National Teachers Union (Unatu) express concerns regarding the tight deadline, suggesting a more feasible timeframe of three months. Mr. Muyingo acknowledged connectivity challenges but emphasized the necessity of proactive engagement, considering the prevalence of smartphones among teachers.

Regarding financial concerns raised by institutions like the National Private Education Institution Association (NPEIA), clarification on registration fees is sought to ensure inclusivity. Augustine Mugabo, the Outgoing Chairperson of Head Teachers Association in Uganda, highlighted the digital skills gap as a barrier to registration, urging educators to prioritize compliance for effective government planning.

Since 2019, the government has registered over 200,000 teachers, aiming to mitigate issues such as falsified documents and unauthorized personnel in educational settings. Mr. Muyingo emphasized the importance of registering English teachers for easy tracking, especially considering Uganda’s labor exportation.

Government statistics reveal a significant number of educational institutions across different levels in the country, emphasizing the scale and importance of this registration initiative.