Over 12,000 teachers quitting annually
Sep 25, 2014
As the Government seeks to recruit 3,000 science teachers this financial year, it has emerged that over 12,700 of them quit public service for greener pastures annually.
By Francis Kagolo
KAMPALA - As the Government seeks to recruit 3,000 science teachers this financial year, it has emerged that over 12,700 of them quit public service for greener pastures annually.
The trend, which officials said is compromising the quality of education in the country, is highlighted in the education and sports sector annual performance report for financial year 2013/2014.
Launched during the 21st annual sector review conference in Kampala yesterday, the report shows that 4% or about 7,480 teachers in public primary schools quit work annually mainly due to poor pay.
In secondary schools, the number of teachers declined by 9% from 61,100 in 2013 to 55,843 in 2014. This means that 5,257 secondary school teachers quit, causing a decline in the national student-to-teacher ratio.
Although some die, abscond or retire, a big number quit for better paying jobs especially in South Africa and Botswana, according to Robinson Nsumba-Lyazi, a commissioner for secondary school edcation.
The exodus is mostly that of science teachers, whom Nsumba describes as “the best, selling like hot cake in the region and appreciated world over”.
Secondary school teachers in South Africa and Botswana are paid $1,000 (about sh2m) a month, compared to sh500,000 in Uganda, Nsumba said.
“This has caused a shortage of science teachers in the country, resulting in poor performance in science subjects,” Nsumba stated. Others, he said, opt for private business where the monthly income may surpass that of a teacher.
Dr. Rose Nassali Lukwago, the permanent secretary in the Ministry of Education, said the problem is exacerbated by the freeze on teacher recruitment that was imposed by the public service ministry.
“The proportion of students rated proficient in English language has continued on a declining trend from 48.3% in 2012/2013 to 43.1% in 2013/2014. This is mainly due to the shortage of English and science teachers,” Lukwago read from the report. The conference was held at the Imperial Royale Hotel in Kampala under the theme “Skilling Uganda for Enhanced Productivity and Development”.
A separate study conducted by the ministry in 2011 showed that 60% of the teachers in government primary schools are not satisfied with their work conditions and remuneration.
The dissatisfaction rate is highest in western Uganda where about seven in 10 teachers are unhappy and lowest in the eastern region where half of them are frustrated.
“Propensity to quit the job is high: only 16% of primary teachers would like to remain in the classroom within the next two years,” the ministry’s diagnosis of teachers’ issues in Uganda showed.
During the conference, education minister Jessica Alupo pointed out measures the Government was employing to motivate teachers to curb the high exodus. Besides the recent 40% salary increment, she reiterated the Government’s pledge to inject sh5b into the teachers’ SACCOS each year for five years.
A total of sh5.4b was allocated to construct teachers’ houses this financial year. Alupo hopes that the intervention, plus the 30% additional allowances for science teachers and those in hard-to-reach areas, will curb the problem after some time.