Senior Reporter
Leaders of the Uganda National Teachers Union (UNATU) in Kabale District and Municipality have expressed serious concerns about the increasing number of educator deaths each year.
This concern was raised during a joint celebration of Kabale district’s Main Branch and Kabale Municipality on National Teacher’s Day, held at Kirigime Guest House in the southern division of Kabale Municipality.
World Teachers Day, celebrated annually on October 5th, focused this year on the theme: “The teachers we need for the education we want: The global imperative to reverse the teacher shortage.”
UNATU’s statistics reveal a troubling trend, with 495 teacher deaths in 2018, 549 in 2019, 680 in 2020, 490 in 2021, 432 in 2022, and a staggering 307 teacher deaths as of September 30th this year.
Amos Musiimenta, UNATU’s chairperson for Kabale Main Branch and head teacher at Kakomo Secondary School, attributes the high mortality rate to financial stress resulting from the salary disparity between science and arts teachers.
Geoffrey Beinomugisha, UNATU’s chairperson for Kabale Municipality Branch, points to the daily challenges teachers face and calls on the government to implement psycho-social support programs for educators to aid in their rehabilitation.
The Minister of State for Trade, Industry, and Cooperatives (Industry), David Bahati, who was represented by Kabale District Internal Security Officer (DISO) Reuben Mutabazi, served as the chief guest during the Teacher’s Day celebrations.
He appealed to teachers to promote patriotism and actively contribute to shaping learners for a brighter future.
