Universities Warn Against Degree Requirement For Teachers

Public universities are urging the government to prepare for an impending shortage of teachers if the National Teachers Bill is enacted into law.

The bill contains a clause that would bar teachers without degrees from the profession.

Professor John Robert Odongo, Vice Chancellor of Soroti University, warned that approximately 180,000 serving teachers without degrees will be excluded from the profession if the bill is passed with this requirement.

“There is a danger of a huge shortage of teachers in the short run because that is a big number and many are retiring and many are dropping off what are we going to do, our population is growing and many schools are coming in.” Odongo told MPs

The Education Committee of Parliament is currently scrutinizing the National Teachers Bill, which proposes that a degree be mandatory for anyone to be registered as a teacher.

Prof. Odongo says if passed, this could have significant implications for the education sector, particularly in addressing the shortage of qualified teachers.