Absent teachers to be punished - Govt
Sep 04, 2011
THE Government beginning tomorrow, will use its head teachers to roll-call all its teachers and pupils, in all its schools all over the country.
Conan Businge,
Saudah Nakandah
and Hajara Nalwadda
THE Government beginning tomorrow, will use its head teachers to roll-call all its teachers and pupils, in all its schools all over the country.
According to a statement from the education ministry’s permanent secretary Francis-Xavier Lubanga, “Head teachers of primary and secondary schools will be expected to maintain daily attendance registers for both learners and teachers.â€
“Head teachers must also submit names of those teachers who absent themselves without authority or satisfactory explanation to the District Education Officers and Commissioner for Secondary Education for appropriate disciplinary action,†the permanent secretary added.
The education minister Lt. (rtd.) Jessica Alupo says that teachers who fail to appear without satisfactory reasons risk receiving warning letters, suspensions or even being dismissed.
The minister acknowledges that someone can indeed miss duty, but such a teacher “must file a report to the superiors at the respective schoolâ€.
Lubanga and the minister say that there are Government Standing Orders, the Teachers’ Code of Professional Conduct and other relevant laws and guidelines which can be invoked in case teachers abscond from duty.
Alupo made the remarks, after officiating at the graduation of 290 tutors in information and communication technology.
The tutors were trained under the UNESCO/JFIT -funded project on technology in business, technology, technical, vocation education and training institutions in Uganda.
The minister was flanked by UNESCO’s education specialist Yayoi Segi-Vitech and the new Japanese ambassador to Uganda, Kazuo Minagawa.
Head teachers and teachers, Lubanga added, are further warned that they will individually be held responsible for any breach of the terms and conditions of their employment.â€
“This is because while UNATU tries to justify its call for industrial action, on provision of the law; the Public Service Act 2008, prescribes a due process to be followed before such industrial action is taken,†Lubanga adds.
The Act guarantees a worker rights to withdraw labour or call a strike in furtherance of a labour dispute. But, it sets out a procedure which should be followed, if such action were to affect the delivery of essential services in the public service.
Lubanga, also warned that teachers who will abscond from duty, risk facing sanctions.
Meanwhile, Alupo explained that teachers had several demands and Government has already agreed to solve some of them. She explained that Government will now be depositing grants to school bank accounts in time, and hard-to-reach allowances will be revisited.
Alupo added Government will construct more teachers’ houses and release, in the next financial year, an additional sh40bn to science teachers, instructors in technical institutions and instructors in health training.
The scheme of services’ implementation will also be resumed in the next financial year and that sh7.3b will be set aside.
The teachers, towards the end of last term went on a sit-down strike, much as it was called off to allow negotiations with Government proceed. But after negotiations, the resumed the strike, saying they were not satisfied with the outcome.
Saudah Nakandah
and Hajara Nalwadda
THE Government beginning tomorrow, will use its head teachers to roll-call all its teachers and pupils, in all its schools all over the country.
According to a statement from the education ministry’s permanent secretary Francis-Xavier Lubanga, “Head teachers of primary and secondary schools will be expected to maintain daily attendance registers for both learners and teachers.â€
“Head teachers must also submit names of those teachers who absent themselves without authority or satisfactory explanation to the District Education Officers and Commissioner for Secondary Education for appropriate disciplinary action,†the permanent secretary added.
The education minister Lt. (rtd.) Jessica Alupo says that teachers who fail to appear without satisfactory reasons risk receiving warning letters, suspensions or even being dismissed.
The minister acknowledges that someone can indeed miss duty, but such a teacher “must file a report to the superiors at the respective schoolâ€.
Lubanga and the minister say that there are Government Standing Orders, the Teachers’ Code of Professional Conduct and other relevant laws and guidelines which can be invoked in case teachers abscond from duty.
Alupo made the remarks, after officiating at the graduation of 290 tutors in information and communication technology.
The tutors were trained under the UNESCO/JFIT -funded project on technology in business, technology, technical, vocation education and training institutions in Uganda.
The minister was flanked by UNESCO’s education specialist Yayoi Segi-Vitech and the new Japanese ambassador to Uganda, Kazuo Minagawa.
Head teachers and teachers, Lubanga added, are further warned that they will individually be held responsible for any breach of the terms and conditions of their employment.â€
“This is because while UNATU tries to justify its call for industrial action, on provision of the law; the Public Service Act 2008, prescribes a due process to be followed before such industrial action is taken,†Lubanga adds.
The Act guarantees a worker rights to withdraw labour or call a strike in furtherance of a labour dispute. But, it sets out a procedure which should be followed, if such action were to affect the delivery of essential services in the public service.
Lubanga, also warned that teachers who will abscond from duty, risk facing sanctions.
Meanwhile, Alupo explained that teachers had several demands and Government has already agreed to solve some of them. She explained that Government will now be depositing grants to school bank accounts in time, and hard-to-reach allowances will be revisited.
Alupo added Government will construct more teachers’ houses and release, in the next financial year, an additional sh40bn to science teachers, instructors in technical institutions and instructors in health training.
The scheme of services’ implementation will also be resumed in the next financial year and that sh7.3b will be set aside.
The teachers, towards the end of last term went on a sit-down strike, much as it was called off to allow negotiations with Government proceed. But after negotiations, the resumed the strike, saying they were not satisfied with the outcome.