In a fervent rally for change, Uganda’s Members of Parliament have unleashed a volley of demands, calling for a seismic shift in the treatment of the nation’s educators.
As the world united to mark World Teachers’ Day on October 5, 2023, the halls of Parliament echoed with impassioned pleas for a brighter future for those who shape young minds.
The stage was set during a riveting House sitting, presided over by the indomitable Deputy Speaker, Thomas Tayebwa.
The Minister of State for Primary Education, the illustrious Hon. Dr. Joyce Moriku Kaducu, laid out the groundwork, affirming that teachers stand as the bulwark of education, a vanguard dedicated to sculpting the leaders of tomorrow.
Kaducu, a resolute advocate for educational reform, seized the moment to declare that this day is a clarion call, resonating across the nation, to recognize the unparalleled value of teachers in the grand tapestry of education.
“Our government is committed to providing quality education to all, and teachers are a critical ingredient in this process,” she affirmed with unwavering resolve.
However, dissenting voices echoed through the hallowed chambers. Adjumani East County’s firebrand representative, Hon. James Mamawi, raised the battle cry, decrying the lamentable state of teacher welfare, a battle flag that still waves in the wind of indifference. He implored the government to embark on a transformational journey to uplift their plight.
Bungokho County South’s unyielding champion, Hon. Robert Wandwasi, delivered a resounding battle cry. He implored the Ministry of Education to allocate a budget for the nurturing of teachers’ human capital, a clarion call for skills elevation that would culminate in a universal requirement for teachers to hold a university degree.
In a poignant moment of reflection, Sheema District’s stalwart advocate, Hon. Naome Kibaaju, pondered aloud the fate of teachers who had aced the national interviews yet languished in deployment limbo. She challenged the Minister to furnish the House with answers, for their people yearned for clarity.
“Why do we have many teachers that did interviews and excelled not been deployed up to now? I wish to request the minister to come up with a statement because our people want to know,” she asserted.
From the terrain of Karamoja, Tepeth County’s valiant defender, Hon. Albert Lokoru, unfurled a battle standard, urging the government to bestow additional allowances upon teachers treading the arduous path to educate in the most remote corners. “All our children must have unfettered access to education,” he thundered.
Kaducu, undaunted, revealed that the teaching profession stands on the precipice of a revolutionary transformation, with a National Teachers’ Policy poised to reshape the landscape.
As the nation braces for the grand celebration at the Kololo Independence Grounds, the beacon of education, Hon. Janet Museveni, the Minister for Education and Sports, is set to preside over the festivities.
Under the resounding theme, ‘The teachers we need for the education we want: the global imperative to reverse the teacher shortage’, the rallying cry for educational reform echoes through the hearts of every Ugandan educator and student alike.
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