Teachers concerned about proposed ban on part-timing in multiple schools

"We cannot rely on one salary, it is not enough. This explains why we part-time at several schools," a teacher of science at Kololo Senior Secondary School in Kampala told New Vision.

He said ‘part-timing' is the only option he has to raise funds to pay bills and take care of his family.

The Government increased teachers' salaries this year. At entry, a Grade III teacher receives sh499,684 per month, up from sh469,355 last year. Before the enhancement three years ago, the average salary of a primary school teacher was sh280,000.

On average, the Government pays a secondary school teacher about sh800,000 per month, although science teachers earn over sh1m.

However, a Kololo Senior Secondary School teacher, who asked not to be named, said he was not sure about his next move, following the education ministry's proposal to temporarily ban part-timing in schools.

The proposal is part of the draft guidelines for the re-opening of education institutions and implementation of COVID-19 standard operating procedures (SOPs).

The draft guidelines, which New Vision reported, require academic institutions to prevent teachers from part-timing, to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in schools.

"Education institutions shall ensure that restrictions are in place, to prevent teachers from part-timing in multiple institutions and, thereby, increasing the risk of spreading infections among institutions," the draft guidelines read.

In addition, the guidelines indicate that all heads of institutions should ensure that only staff members who are on duty are present at the institution on a given day.

The guidelines are still under review before they are published for schools to adopt. According to the guidelines, schools are expected to open on Monday, September 21, but only to candidates in Primary Seven, Senior Four and Senior Six.

In addition, the guidelines have indicated that candidates will return to school alongside finalists at higher institutions of learning.

They also indicate that education institutions shall resume at full capacity for all the learners when both the education and health ministries determine that it is safe.

CONSEQUENCES

However, stakeholders have cautioned the Government that the ban on part-timing in multiple schools will hurt many institutions, mainly private ones.

They said several schools do not have science teachers and have to depend on the staff of other established schools. Lawrence Muwonge, the headteacher of Budo Senior Secondary School in Wakiso district, said: "Banning ‘parttiming' at several schools means teachers will not be enough."

He added that just a handful of private schools across the country employ a certain number of teachers on a permanent basis. "Even some public schools rely on part-timing teachers from other schools.

This will not hit private institutions alone, but all," he said. In 2018, the principal education officer in the education ministry, Mary Ntete, said there was a shortage of over 2,000 science teachers in government-aided secondary schools across the country.

The shortage, according to Ntete, was attributed to the fact that some science teachers have pursued other courses, such as oil and petroleum training.

"The challenge we are facing is inadequate science and mathematics teachers. The inability to recruit more teachers because of inadequate wage provision has hindered the teaching and learning of these subjects," she said then.

Hasadu Kirabira of the Uganda National Association of Private Schools and Institutions said they are still discussing with the education ministry on the matter of ‘part-timing'. Kirabira, who owns two primary schools and a secondary school, also said it will be hard to restrict the movement of teachers. "Stopping teachers from multiple ‘part-timing' is like stopping the movement of labourers. Many schools will not be able to operate," he said.

"This country has inadequate science teachers. Even those that are available, we share them with government-aided schools. That is how tight it is," he said.

"On Wednesday (September 9), we had an engagement with both the health and education ministries on reopening and some of these issues. We hope to have a good message." Patrick Muinda, the education ministry spokesperson, said discussions are still going on and the ministry's permanent secretary will make the final communication soon.