Kampala — The Government is to recruit 9,549 primary school teachers to cover almost all districts in the country.

Bushenyi, Gulu, Kabarole, Kamuli, Mbarara, Lira and Nakasongola districts will receive the highest number of teachers. Others which will receive over 100 teachers in the exercise are Apac, Kasese, Kibaale and Kisoro. The Education Service Commission, in a press notice released recently, said the minimum qualification for the applicants is a Grade III Certificate.

The recruitment will be handled by the respective district service commissions since all primary schools are controlled by the local governments. The move will increase the number of primary school teachers on the Government payroll from the current 124,630 to 134,179. Last financial year, 5,860 primary teachers missed joining Government service due to insufficient funds at the districts.

Reports from the education ministry show that a number of qualified primary school teachers are making a living through teaching in Government-aided and private schools on contract basis. The ministry says local governments failed to recruit their teachers as per the set staff quotas. Of the 130,630 teachers who were supposed to be enrolled by the end of last financial year, only 124,630 are on the payroll.

To resolve the matter, the Government will, beginning next financial year, allocate a minimum of seven teachers per primary school, and additional teachers based on enrollment.

A new formula of allocating primary teachers to schools is now in effect. The ministry says it wants to ensure that there is at least one teacher per class before it considers the teacher-pupil ratio. The Government needs every class, no matter its size, to at least have a teacher allocated to it.

Recruitment of teachers is one of the Government's key priorities, according to a budget framework paper presented during the annual review. This is partly attributed to the increase in the enrolment of pupils in schools under the free education programme. Currently, there are about 8,000,000 pupils in all schools under the Universal Primary Education programme.

For one to apply, they should have been registered by the education ministry. The deadline for receiving applications is August 10. The shortlist will be displayed between August 23 and 27, while interviews will be held from August 30 to September 3.