UPC pushes gov't to prioritise teachers' needs a head of international teachers' Day

As the world prepares to celebrate International Teachers' Day on Saturday, October 5, the Uganda People's Congress (UPC) has urged the government to take immediate steps to improve the welfare of teachers across the country.

In a statement released by UPC spokesperson Sharon Arach Oyat, the party highlighted the critical role that teachers play in Uganda's development and emphasised the need for urgent government intervention.

This year’s Teachers' Day will be celebrated under the theme, "Valuing Teachers’ Voices Towards a New Social Contract for Education."

Oyat underscored the importance of teachers in shaping the country's human resource and contributing to national progress, noting that the UPC, as a party, has always prioritised the fight against ignorance.

“UPC acknowledges the contribution and importance of teachers in the growth and development of our country,” Oyat said.

However, the UPC emphasised that the government needs to take more significant steps to support teachers.

The party called for equal pay, improved school infrastructure, better access roads, and enhanced working conditions.

Oyat stressed that these are the basic measures the government should put in place to show its commitment to the education sector.

“These are the bare minimum that the government should provide in demonstration of their goodwill to promote the growth and development of both the education sector and the country’s human resource,” she added.

The UPC's statement comes amid ongoing challenges in Uganda's education sector, where teachers have often voiced concerns about low wages, poor working conditions, and inadequate facilities.

The party has urged the government to take swift action to address these concerns, stating that the future of the country’s human resource depends on the investment made in its teachers.