By Spy Uganda
Kampala: Makerere University has urged the government to extend financial support to teachers who are required to upgrade their qualifications to degree level. The current remuneration for teachers is insufficient for them to afford further studies, according to the university.
The proposal was presented by Dr. Leah Sikoyo, a Curriculum Specialist at Makerere University, during her appearance before Parliament’s Education Committee to discuss the National Teacher’s Bill, 2024, on 2nd October, 2024.
“In the requirement for supporting teachers to upgrade, there is a lot of emphasis on training, but many teachers cannot afford to pay for it. Something has to be done to support them, or we’ll be asking them to upgrade without offering the means to do so,” Dr. Sikoyo explained.
The Ministry of Education, under Clause 28 of the Bill, proposed that only individuals with a degree in education and an internship completion be allowed to teach. While Makerere University supported this proposal, Dr. Sikoyo also called for an increase in teacher remuneration to accompany the qualification upgrades.
“If teachers are required to upgrade, there should also be a harmonized increase in their pay. Currently, those with higher qualifications are often told they are overqualified and end up receiving the minimum pay,” she added.
Dr. David Kaboyo, Director of the Center for Teaching and Learning at Makerere, raised concerns about the absence of provisions in the Bill for foreign teachers in international schools. “The Bill lacks specific guidelines for the licensing of foreign teachers, especially those on short-term contracts,” he said.
Dr. Paul Edabu of Muni University also urged Parliament to ensure the Bill applies to all sectors where educational services are provided, not just local government or private institutions. He called for stronger safeguards for internship programs, noting that headteachers should regularly engage with interns and that a complaints management system should be established.
During discussions with the National Council of Higher Education (NCHE), MP Patrick Bingi Nyanzi (Butemba County) raised concerns about potential overlaps in roles between the proposed National Teachers’ Council and NCHE, questioning whether both entities could regulate the quality of teaching and professional practice without conflicting mandates.
In response, NCHE Executive Director Mary Okwakol emphasized that the Teachers’ Council should focus on professional practice, while NCHE would continue to oversee teaching quality. She highlighted previous instances where conflicting mandates created confusion within institutions.
MP Nathan Itungo (Kasahari North) questioned why NCHE’s views were not considered during consultations on the Bill, given their concerns about overlapping mandates. In response, Okwakol explained that while NCHE had contributed during consultative meetings, the final draft of the Bill did not reflect all their suggestions.
