By Spy Uganda
Kampala: The Uganda National Teachers Union (UNATU) has rejected the Ministry of Education’s proposal to simultaneously implement both school practice and a one-year internship for teacher trainees, calling the dual requirement excessive. The Union which aims to protect the interest of teachers and promote the cause of education development in the country proposed maintaining only one of the training programs.
Filbert Baguma, UNATU’s General Secretary, led the protest during his appearance before Parliament’s Education Committee on Thursday 10th October, where he shared the Union’s views on the National Teachers Bill 2024.
Baguma argued that the Bill lacks specific provisions concerning the welfare of teachers during internships, with the government seeking exclusive rights to deploy trainee teachers.
“The introduction of internships is supposed to follow the completion of academic studies. There is no need to have both school practice and an internship. School practice should be enough. If internships are introduced, then school practice should be eliminated. It’s too much for trainees to handle both,” Baguma emphasized.
Baguma further argued that school practice and internships essentially serve the same purpose and that it would be redundant to subject trainees to both.
Patrick Nyanzi, the MP for Butemba County, explained that the Education Committee initially thought internships would replace school practice. However, the Ministry of Education clarified that the new Bill mandates both training programs for teacher trainees.
Nyanzi said, “We initially believed school practice would serve as the internship for teaching professionals. However, the Ministry insisted that after completing school practice, trainees would still need to undergo an internship.”
UNATU also raised concerns about the lack of clarity regarding financial support for teachers undertaking internships. The Union called for clear guidelines on whether the government or schools would provide stipends, warning that the absence of such support could discourage potential teachers from joining the profession.
“This ambiguity could deter talented individuals from pursuing teaching careers. The Bill should clarify whether the government or schools will provide financial assistance for interns. If not, interns should be deployed in their home districts, as they are not financially supported during the internship,” Baguma stated.
However, MPs, including Irene Linda Mugisha (Fort Portal City), expressed reservations about UNATU’s proposal to deploy trainees in their home areas, questioning what would happen in districts with no trainee teachers or those with an oversupply.
“Some districts may not have any teacher trainees in a given year, while others may have too many. How do you address such imbalances?” Mugisha asked.
Isaac Etuka, MP for Upper Madi County, pointed out that some districts, like Madi-Okollo, do not have many A-Level graduates. This could lead to teacher shortages in such areas if the deployment policy is based on trainees’ home districts.
In response, Baguma argued that the focus should be on making the teaching profession more attractive to ensure teachers are willing to work anywhere in the country. He noted that the unattractive conditions of the profession deter many from pursuing teaching as a first career choice.
UNATU also criticized the Ministry of Education’s proposal to exclude tertiary institutions and universities from the applicability of the National Teachers Bill. The Union wants the Bill to cover all teaching professionals, from nursery to university level.
“We believe this Bill should apply to all teachers in Uganda. Excluding tertiary institutions and universities is a mistake. This Bill aims to professionalize teaching, and leaving out certain categories undermines its purpose,” Baguma said.
UNATU also proposed extending teachers’ licenses from two to five years, a suggestion that was met with scepticism. Christopher Komaketch (Aruu County) raised concerns about monitoring teachers’ conduct over such an extended period, arguing that a shorter licensing period would allow better oversight.
Baguma responded by stressing that UNATU condemns all unprofessional behaviour and supports disciplinary measures for those who violate the code of conduct. However, he cautioned against generalizing the misconduct of a few teachers to the entire profession.
