President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has reassured science teachers of Government’s commitment to enhance their salaries and also assured Arts teachers of being covered in the near future.
Using a Runyakitara proverb, he said “a pumpkin plant that will solve the hunger problem in a family starts by flowering and putting on small young ones.”
He said, that is why the Government has started enhancing teachers’ salaries beginning with science teachers. He appealed to all teachers to be patient.
“Please, be patient! Do not disturb yourselves. We shall start with science teachers. We shall cover everybody in future,” he said.
The President made the remarks today at the closing ceremony of the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Association of Secondary School HeadTeachers of Uganda (ASSHU) at Ntare School in Mbarara City.
The AGM which started on the 23rd of August and ended yesterday focused on the theme: “Enhancing competence-based curriculum and quality education for a global market – the role of Headteachers”.
In his address to the assembly, President Museveni challenged the teachers to be at the helm of transforming society using ‘transformative leadership with vision’ which is a holistic approach to promoting education standards in the country.
“My message to the Education Sector in the Country is for Teachers to transform society using a telescopic view with vision”. “This is the reason why the African continent faces problems and has lagged behind from the time of Renaissance yet Europe on the other hand has advanced in science and technology,” he said.
The President told the assembly that according to the NRM ideology, leaders have to act like the primer in a gun to cause social change and to advance science and technology.
H.E Museveni further challenged the headteachers that if the Education Sector is to develop its standards, everyone has to have value for change using what he called a “telescopic view with vision”.
He congratulated the association for organising this year’s AGM, which he said was a well organised forum with overwhelming turn up.
The President contributed Five Hundred Million Shillings (500m/=) towards the construction of the ASSHU Resource Centre to be constructed on Bombo Road in Kampala City. He also contributed Shs200 million to the Teachers SACCO.
The First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports (MoES), Hon. Janet Museveni pointed out that “professional and quality school leadership is a very important and critical factor for success in the quest for quality education in the country.”
Mrs. Museveni urged headteachers to pursue professional and quality leadership.
“If only the headteachers here pursued professional and quality leadership, we would significantly reduce or even eradicate issues of absenteeism in schools and manage these vices that have eroded our education system,” she said, adding that the presence of an effective and efficient headteacher in a school has a big impact on the efficient functioning of the school system.
She thanked the President for finding time in his busy schedule to honour and listen to ASSHU leadership presenting the teachers’ concerns at the national level.
The Minister applauded the vision of the Association, commenting that this year’s AGM has awakened all headteachers to their professional calling. She commended the section of headteachers who behave exceptionally well.
“I want to let you know that your commitment and devotion to duty has not gone unnoticed and the government sincerely thanks you for that,” she said.
The Minister further noted that, the Ministry of Education is going through one of the most challenging times in the management of schools in the country following the ruins of Covid-19.
Mrs. Museveni also urged ASSHU to cultivate a mindset of understanding that the spirit of leadership is from God.
“Leadership is not an end in itself but it is a means to an end. That is; to serve. Leadership comes with awesome responsibility, sacrifice and challenges but no amounts of challenges is impossible for God to solve, if we are willing,” she said.
She congratulated the headteachers who attended the patriotism retreat at National Leadership Institute (NALI), Kyankwanzi, saying that the training was vital to enable them understand more about the country.
She hoped that all the headteachers will get the opportunity to undergo such life-changing experiences. The Minister also told teachers that they should not only teach children but also teach the community around their areas to know that together they are responsible as leaders.
She castigated elements in society with the vice of spoiling children in schools, leading to early pregnancies; a situation she said had never been heard of in the past.
“I want to appeal to this AGM participants to look into what I have stated here to realise a change by the next meeting. We shall continue empowering schools and teachers to be motivated for effectiveness in schools in the country,” she said.
“Let us all agree to put learners above all interests and address the crisis of lost learning time by preventing any further disruptions to school time due to strikes. Listen to the professional call!”
The Minister also launched curriculum books in Kiswahili language, Physics books for Senior One and Art and Design syllabus.
The Permanent Secretary of MoES, Ms. Kate Lamaro, commended Government for the support accorded to the Ministry.
“The senior management team was here at the workshop, and presented and facilitated the teachers in different subjects,” she said, adding that it was a leadership engagement and consultation meeting to make things change for the better. She thanked ASSHU officials for their good working relationship and technical support to the Ministry.
The outgoing ASSHU Chairperson, Mr. Okiria Martin Obore, said the AGM saw a democratic election of the executives, voting in the new Chairperson; Brother Augustine Magambo, the Headmaster of St. Henrys College Kitovu in Masaka. He remarked that ASSHU strives to realise an international outlook in performance.
“The association has shared its challenges and experiences with the neighbouring countries like Kenya and Tanzania. All I have mentioned here is in honour of success and fruitful education in the country,” he said.
ASSHU General Secretary and host of the AGM; Mr. Jimmy Turyagyenda who is the headteacher of Ntare School, told the President that all regions in the country were well represented with a turn up of 1,700 members from Lango, Busoga, Greater Masaka, Mid- Western region that has been the host, Kigezi, Bunyoro Kitara, Rwenzori, Acholi, West Nile, Teso and Karamoja.
Training activities included sports, debate and capacity building, among others.
The Chairperson of the ASSHU Board of Trustees, Ms. Rose Zizinga, said that as the board, education is in the blood of the members under ASSHU to serve diligently.
The newly elected ASSHU executive reaffirmed their total commitment to lead fellow headteachers to supervis
