By Watera Atai,
KAMPALA
The Ministry of Education and Sports has asked all headteachers in the Acting capacity in government owned and government aided secondary schools to apply for consideration to promotion and appointment to substantive headteachers.
According to Dr. Kedrace K Turyagyenda, Permanent Secretary of the ministry, at least 180 schools lack substantive headteachers, with positions held by caretakers beyond the six months limit set by the public service orders.
“Officers were assigned higher duties to ‘caretake’ these offices for a period of six months until a substantive headteacher is appointed or deployed. However, a number of you have been caretaking in these positions for more than one year contrary to Section (A-C) of the Uganda public service standing orders, 2021,” Turyagyenda explained.
She said the move aims to ensure effective and efficient administration and management of the schools. She urged caretakers who meet the requirements to the education service commission (ESC) to apply for interviews.
Turyagyenda stated that the appointment of the caretakers is in line with Section (A-i) (8) of the public service standing orders, 2021, and Regulation 36 of the Education Service Commission Regulations which provides commission’s approval for all appointments on acting appointments.
The PS said individuals who do not meet the requirements to the ESC will automatically lose their position and revert to their earlier positions.
“Any period of acting appointment beyond six months will be null and void and the public officer holding such an appointment shall automatically revert to his/her substantive post, unless the appointment authority extends the appointment for another period of six months, but shall not exceed 12 months in total,” Turyagyenda emphasized.
She said it is unacceptable to serve in acting capacity for more than one year noting that the government no longer want to have caretaker appointments in schools. “This is a one off exercise, beyond which no more ‘caretakers’ will be entertained in schools,” said PS. Turyagyenda.
Applicants for substantive headteachers are according to the ministry required to fill the ESC form 3, recommendation letter from chairperson, board of governors for schools founded by faith based institutions, and a status report highlighting applicant’s achievements, challenges, future academic plans, performance, enrollment, community engagements endorsed by the board Chairperson.
Other requirements are evidence of assignment (appointment letter to Acting Appointment), Masters Degree in Education/related field, and 12 years teaching experience with government owned/aided secondary schools – three of which should have been served as substantive deputy headteacher.
The ministry did not disclose the list of schools without permanent headteachers. However, anonymous source said majority of the affected schools are secondary schools that were recently acquired by the government on the government aided schools status and newly established government seed schools.
Furthermore, the ministry added that appointed headteachers shall be retained in the current schools ruling out requests for redeployment. Caretakers have been given until October 18, to apply.
