Masindi teachers told to form SACCOs at school level

MASINDI, October 6, 2023 – Sam Peter Ayebale, the Principal Education Officer of Masindi Municipality has challenged teachers in the whole of Masindi district to form Savings and Credit Cooperatives [SACCOs] at the school level so that they are not exploited by money lenders and credit institutions such as banks.

“To avoid being exploited by financial institutions. Start your own SACCOs and also embrace the district teachers’ SACCO which is in place. Instead of running to money lenders you will be running to SACCOs which charge lower interest rates,” Ayebale advised during the World Teachers’ Day celebrations held at Country Inn in Masindi town on Thursday.

World Teachers’ Day was celebrated under the theme: “The teachers we need for the education we want: The global imperative to reverse the teacher shortage.” The Day falls on the 5th of October and is held annually to celebrate the work of teachers.

Ayebale further asked the teachers to learn to live in their means saying that some teachers are absconding from duty due to multiple loans from financial institutions.

He further commended the government for injecting money in the Teachers’ SACCO noting that it has improved on accessibility of loans.

Yesterday President Museveni while officiating at the national celebrations to mark World Teachers’ Day in Kampala, said he would give teachers’ SACCOs Shs 9 billion balance of the Shs 25bln he pledged in 2011.

Adolf Kato, the District Inspector of Schools Masindi asked the government to put a conducive environment to enable the teachers be maintained in schools.

“I am also calling upon my teachers to always take developmental loans through SACCOs and also utilise it well,” he said.

Aled Ronald Akugizibwe, the Member of Parliament for Buruli county asked the Teachers’ SACCO managers to always charge lower interest on loans taken by the teachers.

He also urged teachers to invest the loans in business “Don’t get loans to pay school fees. Get loans to invest. You also need to have financial discipline and desist from going to money lenders for every problem. Try to diversify your incomes,” cautioned Akugizibwe.

Officiating the function, Florence Asiimwe the Woman Member of Parliament for Masindi district warned the teachers not to go against their professional ethics.

“Ensure that you desist from doing criminal acts which will end up spoiling our profession. Love your profession. Don’t defile our children because parents entrusted you with them,” she noted.

Sunday Edison, the Chairperson Uganda National Teachers’ Union [UNATU] Masindi Branch, noted that teachers are getting mental illnesses because of too much workload.

“In Masindi district teachers were recruited but it’s only the municipality whose teachers we deployed. But at the district they have not yet got their appointments. The teachers who did interviews should be deployed. We pray that this processes is expedited,” noted Sunday.

The recruitment exercise was suspended due to enormous irregularities in the recruitment process.

Christopher Kugonza, the chairperson UNATU Masindi Municipality asked for better and balanced pay for all the teachers such that there wellbeing can change.

He further decried the high standard of living noting that the teachers are finding it hard to access better service due to the poor pay.

https://thecooperator.news/govt-to-give-shs-9bln-to-mwalimu-saccos-union/

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