Educationists welcome move requiring primary school heads to get degrees

Jun 02, 2016

Fagil Mandy said the education ministry and government must incorporate people skills including attitude change plus communication and expertise in early childhood development into the education curricula of the head teachers.

Educationists, including former UNEB boss Fagil Mandy, have welcomed a move requiring heads of primary schools to upgrade to degree level, but said the programme must involve other interpersonal and administrative skills to produce "total" head teachers.

Fagil Mandy said the education ministry and government must incorporate people skills including attitude change plus communication and expertise in early childhood development into the education curricula of the head teachers.

"We need graduates. But we have seen graduates who can't express themselves, who are a failure at the work place. Reports indicate that over 70 percent of graduates can't do any work. We need these management skills and continuous on job trainings and motivation to have good head teachers," the legendary education said.

The education ministry on Monday re-affirmed its demand for all primary school head teachers to upgrade to degree level or give way for their colleagues who are better qualified, which received mixed reactions.

Dr. John Geoffrey Mbabazi, the secretary to the education service commission, said primary school head teachers who did not have degrees would in a year's time be phased out to accommodate ones who were "qualified".

"Two years ago, we issued a scheme of service, which shows the jobs in the education sector and their required qualifications. To head a primary school, the scheme noted that one should be in Grade U4. To be in Grade U4, you must have attained a certain level of qualification and experience.

"On the basis of the scheme of service, the public service decided that whoever is at Grade U4 should be a graduate," Mbabazi said.

He said they were mainly interested in Bachelor of Education, Primary Methods. The directive applied to only head teachers of government-aided primary schools.

Educationist John Chrysestom Muyingo and state minister for primary education said the move would improve quality of education at the elementary level. 

"The quality of teachers (at school) is greatly influenced by the head teacher because he is the planner. We want them to be skilled. Of course, this shall not stop at the degree programmes. We will emphasize on job trainings and other programmes that can improve quality of our education.

"There is a lot of blame game. When graduates can't adapt at the work place, universities say they received half-baked students; the secondary schools also say they received poor learners. We want this to stop," the state minister said.

He said government issued the directive "two years back". Since then, a "good number" of head teachers and teachers have upgraded to degree holders.

"We want our primary schools to be headed by graduate teachers. But, government is a parent. So, we will work out how to deal with head teachers (who will not have attained degrees by end of next year), he said.

According to the education ministry, over half of primary school head teachers on payroll are degree holders. There are about 200,000 government-aided primary schools.

Pamela Kihumuro, the director at the Integrated Primary School in Kabale district, said government didn't have to compel head teachers to upgrade (to degree status).

"It is for our own good. The way the world is moving, any additional education qualification is an advantage. But it is better (the upgrade) comes with remuneration to motivate head teachers," she said.

Kellen Tukamuhabwa, a teacher at Kitante in Kampala, said she started out as a Grade III teacher. She has since upgraded to a degree level. Much as she hasn't been appointed as a graduate teacher, the additional trainings have transformed her into "one of the best teachers."

"It depends on attitude and other interpersonal and communication and leadership skills. It also depends on remuneration and motivation. But a head teacher needs to have a level above the teachers he heads," she said.

 

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