Kamuli, Uganda: The Bishop of Busoga Diocese, Rt. Rev. Samson Paul Moses Naimanhye has urged government to urgently listen to and address the plight of teachers, warning that continued neglect risks plunging the country into the worst education results disaster.
Speaking during the blessing of Primary Leaving Examination (PLE) candidates at Kamuli Girls Boarding Primary School, Bishop Naimanhye faulted the government and the ruling NRM party for failing to protect what he described as the “most precious gain”, teachers, who have sustained Universal Primary Education (UPE).
“The RDC has just made unfortunate remarks about the teachers’ industrial action. As church and shepherds, we call on government to address teachers’ concerns instead of intimidating and ignoring them. They are the backbone of UPE, the very gains government claims to protect,” Bishop Naimanhye stated.
He warned that the ongoing teachers’ strikes and low morale in schools would directly affect performance in the forthcoming PLE, noting that schools should not be blamed if results turn out poorly.
“We may ignore the teachers’ plight, but its effects will be glaring. Do not expect good performance this time. This is a looming national disaster and a time bomb,” Rt Rev Naimanhye cautioned.
The Bishop further described the current education sector situation as “appalling, demoralizing, pathetic and deplorable,” accusing government of spending lavishly on electioneering while neglecting teachers’ welfare.
Commending Kamuli Girls’ headteacher Ms. Joy Kasana Muwanika for her leadership, Bishop Naimanhye said foundation bodies must work smart with the government to ensure conducive learning environments.
He revealed that parents at Kamuli Girls are directly paying 24 out of the school’s 45 teachers, warning that the closure of teacher training colleges has made it harder to recruit qualified educators, especially in rural areas.
On social issues, the ‘Man of God’ condemned teenage pregnancies and child marriages as “unacceptable vices and abominations,” calling on parents and communities to restore cultural values and social norms to safeguard the girl child.
The School Headteacher, Ms. Joy Kasana, thanked the Bishop and the Church for their unwavering support, noting that the 98 PLE candidates were fully prepared. “The girls have been nurtured to be of dignity, substance, and competence,” she affirmed.
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