Teachers reject deployment in Buliisa

District leaders, education inspectors, and school heads in Buliisa are increasingly concerned about teachers rejecting appointments to work in the district’s schools, citing its remote location and poor working conditions.

This has left many schools understaffed, with some resorting to hiring teachers paid by parents or the teachers’ association.

Buliisa District, which consists of seven sub-counties, has four government secondary schools and 40 primary schools, all of which are struggling with staffing shortages.

For example, Kigungu Secondary School has only eight government-paid teachers out of the 25 required, with the rest paid by parents.

Charles Mbabazi, head teacher at Kigungu Secondary School, reports that many teachers assigned to the school refuse to stay, often leaving on the same day they arrive.

"We’ve had numerous teacher appointments, but many refuse to stay due to the remote and hot environment," Mbabazi said.

"We’re left with only eight government-paid teachers, while the rest are funded by parents, which is challenging given the community's attitude towards supporting education."

James Mugisa, the inspector of schools in Buliisa, confirmed that teachers frequently reject appointments, citing inadequate incentives and lack of staff housing.

"Teachers ask for allowances and staff quarters, but we don’t have the funds, and the government hasn’t built the necessary facilities. We can only wait for the government to revise its system," Mugisa noted.

Mbabazi suggests the government should stop posting teachers from other districts and instead recruit qualified locals who are more willing to work under current conditions.

"We have 25 staff members, but only eight are on the government payroll. The rest are qualified teachers willing to work on PTA pay. It would be better to recruit locally rather than sending us teachers who are unwilling to stay," he advised.

Alan Alinda, a teacher at Kigungu Secondary School, echoed this sentiment, saying, "I have a diploma in teaching, and I’m willing to work here. The government should consider recruiting local teachers who are already prepared to work in these conditions."

Johnson Kusiima Baingana, chairperson of the Bunyoro Region Inspector of Schools, noted that this problem isn’t unique to Buliisa but also affects other hard-to-reach districts like Kagadi and Hoima.

He urged the government to improve working conditions, including providing staff quarters.

Buliisa District Chairman Fred Lukumu warned that the ongoing issue is severely affecting school performance and enrollment.

"Teachers are rejecting appointments, and government inaction is affecting education in the district. We need affirmative action for hard-to-reach districts, perhaps by offering additional allowances, similar to what’s done in the health sector," Lukumu stated.

The inspector also noted that while private schools could be an alternative, many are not following the government curriculum, further complicating the district’s educational challenges.