By Weswa Ronnie
MBALE CITY
A furious Mbale City Town Clerk has decided to transfer all teachers in schools which performed poorly in the recent 2022 primary leaving examination results.
Ambrose Ochen revealed the decision today, 2nd February, 2023 while meeting all Mbale City primary school head teachers at Mbale City Chambers during 2022 PLE review meeting.
Out of 7735 pupils who sat for PLE exams in 2022, 1108 passed in division one, 3433 in division two, 1335 in division three, 900 division four, 760 failed and 143 were absent.
According to the town clerk this performance was very poor compared to that of 2020.
He wondered why private schools performed better than government aided schools yet teachers in government are paid higher salaries and full time including holidays compared to those in private schools.
Ochen says that most of the schools have teachers who have overstayed for over 20 years which he said is bad and poisonous to children in terms of improving performance.
The town clerk revealed that most teachers at different primary schools in the city have been given transfer letters which must be effected on Monday next week during the official term one opening of schools as one way of improving on performance.
Denis Ogwang, the head teacher of Nkokonjeru primary school who represented private schools’ head teachers during the meeting said that private schools are doing better because their teachers are closely monitored by making sure that they report to class or school in time, and pay them on time.
He adds that in most private schools if children perform poorly the teacher is sacked immediately which is not the same in government whereby a teacher does what she/he wants without any pressure.
Meanwhile, Michael Wangwe, the head teacher of North road government primary school said that unless government addresses problems like less staffing where the ratio of teacher to children is 1: 54, delayed payment of salaries, delay in releasing UPE fund, irresponsibility amongst parents in terms of not buying Scholastic materials, performance will not improve in government schools.
The town clerk responded by saying that the ratio of teachers to children is what government has so far recommended.
He also says that before recruiting of staff in the new government policy, local government has to write to ministry of public service to seek approval on the number and positions in case they have enough wage before recruitment.
