By Spy Uganda
Kampala: The Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Dev’t has revealed that at least 300,000 private teachers in primary and secondary schools are to be bailed out of the COVID-19 financial crisis with some relief cash of UGX100,000 each.
The above has been revealed in the Ministry’s circular to the executive director of Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA), all chief administrative officers (CAOs) and town clerks of cities and municipalities informing them about ”COVID-19 Cash Transfer Program For Teachers In Private & Secondary Schools.”
”GiveDirectly (GD) – an international non-governmental organization (NGO) that focuses on poverty alleviation and humanitarian relief via livelihood cash transfers – approached the MOGLSD with additional funds to support vulnerable people impacted by COVID-19 containment measures. Given that the economy was already opening up, after consultations with several stakeholders including the Office of the Prime Minister, Ministry of Education and Sports – a decision was reached to target teachers in private primary and secondary schools,” reads Ministry’s circular.
The Ministry adds that the decision to target teachers in private schools was based on the fact that schools have been closed since March 2020 when COVID-19 forced a nationwide “lockdown”. While the vast majority of sectors have fully or partially reopened in recent months and many people have returned to work, the education sector has been closed.
Schools are planned to reopen in January 2022 on the 10th by which time teachers in private primary and secondary schools will have missed income for close to two years.
Teachers eligible for the program include those who are not on the government payroll, are duly registered or licensed by the Ministry of Education or have proof of submission of application for registration, were already teaching in a licensed or registered by the Ministry of Education before the beginning of the COVID-19 lockdown in March 2020.
”The beneficiary must not have benefited from the June-September 2021 relief cash handout and must have a mobile money number registered in their name,” says Ministry.
Now, Headteachers of private primary and secondary schools have been tasked to compile and upload data of eligible teachers through an online system (https:|/ cashrelief.mglsd.go.ug/).
The Ministry says the headteachers should also upload the payroll data for one month (January, February, or March 2020) as evidence of salary payment. The payroll may include; signed payment roster, bank instruction/statement, or mobile money statement depending on how salaries are paid in each school.
”Ensure that the District/City/Municipal Education Officer validates the lists of uploaded teachers who meet the criteria and approve the validated list through an online system for onward verification and payment,” adds the Ministry.
