April 2022
The Uganda National Teacher Policy (NTP) which was approved in 2019, is finally being implemented in the 2021/2022 academic year. This new teachers’ policy is mainly aimed at professionalizing the teaching profession by standardizing the management, development, and practices of teachers.
Teachers in Uganda will now be required to study for four years instead of three, having a bachelor's degree as the minimum requirement to join the profession. Certificate and diploma courses for teachers will therefore be scrapped, leading to the closure of up to half of the 46 Primary Teachers Colleges (PTCs).
The Education ministry spokesman, Dr Denis Mugimba, underscored that the additional year of study will be mainly dedicated to providing the teachers in training with hands-on experience under an internship programme which is meant to improve the quality of teaching in Uganda. However, not everyone is as quick to welcome the new policy as some teachers argue that the process of obtaining a bachelor’s degree might be too lengthy and costly for them, leading many of them to abandon the profession altogether. The government responded by highlighting that the policy’s implementation will be phased, giving underqualified teachers up to 10 years to meet the new requirements.
The NTP is just one of several other education policy reforms being carried out in Uganda, which include the creation of an education policy review commission to scrutinize the relevance and effectiveness of existing education policies. With all these changes in progress, education analysts in the country are optimistic that the reforms will better equip the future generations by improving school learning outcomes.
World Vision Uganda has launched a new five-year Country Strategy (2021-2025) primarily aimed at increasing the literacy levels of primary school children. The Strategy aims to contribute to the improved wellbeing of 5.2 million vulnerable children in Uganda.
The learning processes will be improved through three main ways: 1) Increased teacher capacity through training, support supervision and mentorship. 2) Improved access to age appropriate and relevant teaching and learning materials. 3) Boosting school management and leadership to support literacy activities.
The Strategy also plans on including the community in this initiative through putting up community literacy centers and reading clubs, as well as by encouraging parents to support their children’s literacy activities both at school and at home.
School safety is also a priority of the Country Strategy and will be enforced through ensuring that schools are free from violence, providing inclusive WASH facilities at schools, and guaranteeing that children attend Early Childhood Development Centers.
The Country Strategy Plan is determined to remain aligned to Uganda’s National Development plan III and the Sustainable Development Goals as they work toward sustainable and improved wellbeing of the most vulnerable in Uganda.
March 2022
The Ugandan Ministry of Education and Sports has begun the process of revamping the education system by reformulating outdated and ineffective education policies that date all the way back to 1992.
The Secretary to the Education Policy Review Commission (EPRC) Brighton Barugahare underscored that the inception of this process is underway and involves the creation of an education policy review commission to scrutinize the existing education policies. Analysts note that these changes have been a long time coming and are a much-needed step in giving Ugandan education recipients a competitive edge in the global sphere.
In the health sector, a new public health law-the Public Health (Amendment) Bill 2021, once implemented will make Covid-19 vaccination mandatory for all citizens. Failure to be vaccinated will attract a hefty fine of up to 4 million Ugandan shillings ($1,139) or a jail term of six months. Currently, only a third of Ugandans have received the vaccination, which has prompted the strict measures. The timeline for the official presentation of the bill to parliament for approval is to be determined, but Health Minister Jane Ruth Aceng emphasized that the amendment is an important public health measure which will serve to protect the most vulnerable. The Parliament’s Health Committee is currently analyzing the bill and undertaking consultations with different stakeholders in a bid to make the bill more robust.