Uganda’s Parliament has approved the National Teachers Bill, 2024, introducing sweeping reforms aimed at improving the quality and professionalism of teaching across the country.
The new law establishes a National Teachers Council, which will oversee the registration and licensing of all teachers. Moving forward, teaching will no longer be an open profession—only individuals with a degree in education and successful completion of a supervised internship will qualify.
Teachers will also be required to hold a valid practicing license, renewable every four years, regardless of whether they work in public or private institutions.
The legislation addresses long-standing challenges in the education system, including teacher absenteeism, low qualifications, and unethical behavior. It builds on the 2019 National Teachers’ Policy and updates gaps in the 2008 Education Act.
Parliament made several key amendments before passing the bill. These include expanding representation within the Teachers Council to include classroom teachers, unions, and government stakeholders, ensuring broader input in decision-making.
Lawmakers also rejected mandatory competency exams for already qualified teachers, instead emphasizing Continuous Professional Development (CPD). The government is expected to support this with incentives to encourage ongoing teacher training.
To strengthen accountability, the bill creates a disciplinary committee with the authority to investigate misconduct and suspend or revoke teaching licenses when necessary.
Although there were proposals to include university lecturers, Parliament limited the law’s scope to pre-primary, primary, and secondary education, noting that higher education is already regulated under separate legislation.
According to Minister of State for Higher Education Chrysostom Muyingo, the reforms are designed to raise education standards and restore respect for the teaching profession.
The bill now awaits presidential approval before it becomes law.
—
EduTimes Africa, a product of Education Times Africa, is a magazine publication that aims to lend its support to close the yawning gap in Africa's educational development.