Don’t nurture children by caning, UNATU tells educators
According to the General Secretary of UNATU, Filbert Baguma, it is high time for all teachers to say no to corporal punishment in schools.
From left to right: Raising Voices Programme Manager Tabitha Suubi, FAWE Uganda Programme Coordinator Gloria Auma, UNATU General Secretary Filbert Baguma and Uganda Child Rights NGO Network Executive Director Damon Wamara during a press conference on the status of teachers in Uganda at the UNATU headquarters in Kampala on October 2, 2026. (Photo by Juliet Kasirye)
__________________ Gloria Auma (left), FAWE Uganda programme coordinator, listens to Filbert Baguma (right), UNATU General Secretary, during a press conference on the status of teachers in Uganda at the UNATU headquarters in Kampala on October 2, 2026. (Photo by Juliet Kasirye).
As teachers prepare to commemorate World Teachers Day on October 5, the Uganda National Teachers Union (UNATU) has advised teachers to focus on peace education and dispute resolution in schools.
According to the General Secretary of UNATU, Filbert Baguma, it is high time for all teachers to say no to corporal punishment in schools.
“It is unfortunate that even when we say no corporal punishment in schools, teachers find it difficult to find alternative ways of disciplining the learners. It is high time we started now looking at peace education and dispute resolution in our schools,” said Baguma, while addressing the media in Kampala on Friday, Oct. 2, at UNATU head office.
This, according to Baguma, calls for all stakeholders to stop living in the past because beating does not discipline our children.
“There is an African proverb stating that, when you steal while you are carrying a baby on your back, you are training the child that stealing is the way to go. I call upon all teachers to make sure that we do away with corporal punishments and look for alternative ways, said Baguma.
A cross-section of teachers during a press conference on the status of teachers in Uganda at the UNATU head office in Kampala on October 2, 2026. (Photo by Juliet Kasirye)
If a learner misbehaves, Baguma advises teachers to read the Ministry of Education and Sports handbook about alternatives to corporal punishment. Emphasising that alternatives such as telling the child to stand at the back of the classroom, and that they become a tourist attraction to the rest of the learners, is not right.
During the press conference where Baguma gave a report about the status of teachers in Uganda, different educationists raised concerns about salary disparities, health insurance, revision of the teacher-to-student ratio, handcuffing teachers before learners during corruption-related inspections, among others.
Addressing journalists, the Executive Director of the Uganda Child Rights NGO network, Damon Wamara, said the role of a teacher calls for much more than delivering lessons. Teachers are called to care for and nurture their learners, use creative methods to bring out the best in every learner, observe and respond to their needs, and pay attention to their psychological and emotional well-being.
By creating environments where learners feel supported, valued, and able to thrive, Wamara said, teachers help learners realise their full potential and contribute to shaping the kind of people and society they become.
“We need good teachers who build positive relationships with learners, model good values, help learners apply knowledge, explore ideas, analyse information, and understand what they are learning rather than simply memorising and reproducing it,” Wamara stated.
In case of any indiscipline case, Wamara said, teachers should use positive discipline to address behaviour, correct mistakes, and guide learners without humiliation, fear, or the use of the cane.