The minister of education and sports has expressed fear about teachers engaging in alternative income generating activities during the lock down saying they might completely fail to return to classrooms post COVID19.
The minister of education and sports has expressed fear about teachers engaging in alternative income generating activities during the lock down saying they might completely fail to return to classrooms post COVID-19.
After suffering loss of income which followed the closure of schools in March to prevent the spread of covid-19, many private teachers tried to find means of making ends meet, and some have struck instead struck fortunes in causal jobs.
The minister in charge of Primary Education Rose Mary Sseninde says they as government are worried that such teachers might leave the noble profession having seen the light of higher paying activities that they have taken advantage of as schools remain closed.
Sseninde says this is more likely to affect private schools especially those that have not been able to pay their staff.
Heads of private schools admit that they will lose experienced teachers to other jobs. But some are bravely consoling themselves that the loss of teachers will be minimal because they have tried to manage the situation by counseling and engaging the teachers, reminding them about their commitment to the profession.
The federation for non-state education institutions concedes that the concern of losing teachers to other professions and activities is a reality that they cannot escape when the schools reopen.
Patrick Kaboyo, FENEI Executive Secretary says that as a federation are in discussions to see that they come up with recommendations that are intended to have a collective approach in handling the challenges brought about by the COVID-19 to learning institutions.
Muhammad Sserugo, the Principal Kinawa High Kawempe, observes that the prolonged closure of schools has been a lesson to them especially when it comes to the issue of saving. He says apart from the 10 percent that their teachers save from their monthly earning, the school was only able to pay them up to May.
Sserugo says the lock down has been a learning experience and they plan to make sure that after resuming, all teachers are encouraged to save at least more than 10% of their monthly pay for future investment.
Lawrence Ssemujju, an administrator and teacher at City Secondary school, describes the experience as a challenge to their profession. He says that as a private school they could not afford to pay their teachers beyond the month of March.
