KAMPALA — Hon. Tom Bright Amooti, Member of Parliament for Kyaka Central County in Kyegegwa District, has raised alarm over a severe shortage of primary and secondary school teachers, calling on the Ministry of Education and Sports to urgently intervene and address the staffing gaps affecting schools in the district.
During his submission in Parliament on Thursday, Amooti presented figures highlighting the gap between the district’s required teaching workforce and the number of teachers currently available, warning that the situation is placing additional pressure on schools, parents and learners.
The legislator told Parliament that Kyegegwa District requires approximately 1,400 primary school teachers but currently has only 673, leaving a substantial gap in the workforce needed to support effective teaching and learning across the district.
He further revealed that 214 of the 673 primary school teachers are working under contracts associated with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), raising concern about the sustainability of staffing arrangements that depend on contractual support.
Amooti also disclosed that 14 teachers are employed under contracts with FCA, which he said were due to expire in October and November. He warned that the expiry of these contracts could put additional pressure on schools already struggling with inadequate staffing.
The MP noted that the shortage has left parents increasingly worried about the future of their children’s education. According to his submission, parents in several schools have held meetings, discussed the challenge and adopted resolutions aimed at helping schools facilitate the payment of teachers.
He expressed concern that parents were being pushed towards contributing money to address a staffing challenge that requires a sustainable institutional response. The situation, he indicated, calls for urgent attention from the responsible authorities to protect learners’ access to quality education.
The shortage, he emphasised, is not limited to primary schools. Amooti told Parliament that Kyegegwa District is supposed to have 380 secondary school teachers but currently has only 246, leaving a deficit of 134 teachers against the stated staffing requirement.
He appealed to the Minister of Education and Sports to give special attention to Kyegegwa, stressing that the district is facing serious challenges in both primary and secondary education. He warned that continued understaffing could make it more difficult for schools to meet learners’ needs and maintain effective classroom instruction.
Amooti’s submission puts the spotlight on the need for a clear government response, including assessment of staffing gaps, sustainable recruitment and the implications of expiring contracts. Addressing the shortage would help ease pressure on parents, support teachers and improve learning conditions for children in Kyegegwa District.
