Makerere University to train headteachers in administrative law

Makerere University intends to train all headteachers in Mbale district and beyond in the area of administrative law which is calculated to enable them perform to the best of their abilities while managing the education sector.

In a letter seen by this publication addressed to the Mbale District Education Officer Ms Lydia Musungu and copied to the District Inspector of Schools, Mr Khaukha Samuel, the university proposes to train the headteachers and their deputies including other administrative staff in areas of constitutional law, criminal law, criminal procedure and introduction to law which will expose the education administrators to appreciate the principles of separation of roles, the exercise of discretion powers, the role of the court systems in adjudication.

The training will also cover knowledge impartation on vicarious offences including the knowledge of offences and defences and not limited to the sources of law, the principles of natural justice and branches of the law, and the like.

In retooling the above officials, Mbale University branch administrator Mr Steven Masiga advised all learners must arrive at the various learning centres with statutes like the Anti Corruption Act 2009, the Constitution of Uganda, the Education Act 2008 as amended by the Penal Code Act cap 120, the Local Government Act among others.

The above training in administrative law as proposed by the University follows various ills across the education sector where various education sector managers were implicated in acts that militated against the smooth running of their schools.

A recent study that was conducted by the Makerere University Mbale branch showed that in this year alone, a number of headteachers were implicated in areas of defilement across the country and others in deliberate refusal to listen to directives of the centre particularly the permanent secretary ministry of education and sports.

The final conclusion of the survey by the University suggested that in order for Government programs to serve the intended goals those managing them must be equipped with the rightful knowledge of the law to help the government serve the country a position that the permanent secretary of the Education ministry Ms Ketty Lamaro fully subscribes to.

The commissioner of Special Needs in the same Ministry, Ms Sarah Bugoosi has also pledged to mobilize the headteachers across the special needs schools to benefit from the same at their own cost.

Makerere University has done commendably by taking education to the doorsteps of every community in Uganda hence explaining its presence in regions like Mbale which serves areas of Karamoja, Bukedi, Teso and bugisu including Kapchorwa, while the Kamuli and Iganga centres serve the regions of Busoga and Busia centre serves Namayingo, Bugiri and Busia among others in the East of the country. Other centres are reasonably spread in areas of west and Northern Uganda including central Uganda 

The training of education administrators will also target other local government employees like parish chiefs, and subcounty chiefs among others 

Available academic research shows that between 2021 and 2023, Makerere University has trained over 3000 local government employees including parish chiefs, headteachers, education officers, and inspectors of schools among others.

Furthermore, a tracker survey on their performance at their places of work reveals very interesting outcomes which the university feels should be replicated so that all educational managers are retooled in administrative law officers courses.

Mr Steven Masiga the Makerere University Mbale coordinator said in a recent interview with Radio Uganda that the university is doing all it can to help government programs in the country like PDM, USE and UPE serve Ugandans so that the funding benefits the target.

Mr Masiga adds that with appropriate training in administrative law, this is now going to be a thing of the past, we recognize that many headteachers are well-trained to teach but not well-retooled to administrate in their respective positions of authority.

The District Education Officers for Pallisa and Busia welcomed the move and pledged to mobilize all headteachers to enrol at the nearby Makerere centres spread across the country to benefit from this training 

“It has been a painful observation to see many well-respected administrators arrested by the State House Anti-corruption Unit and others arrested by District public accounts committees on failure to utilize public funds within the permissible legal and accounting provisions,” said one of the DEOs.

The above training according to Mr Masiga comes at a small fee which is quite manageable by the education administrators and can be paid in very manageable instalments.