The gvernment has launched a natinwide drive t prfessinalise pre-primary teaching, requiring teachers handling yung children t be qualified, registered and licensed under the new Early Childhd Care and Educatin (ECCE) Plicy 2025.
The plicy, launched in April, als requires ECD centres and pre-primary schls t be registered n the Educatin Management Infrmatin System and prhibits barding sectins fr children in such institutins.
Ms Safina Mutumba, the Assistant Cmmissiner fr Teacher and Curriculum Implementatin Supprt at the Ministry f Educatin and Sprts, n Thursday said in Mukn that gvernment is nw disseminating the plicy and its implementatin guidelines t teachers and ther stakehlders.
She said the mve is intended t ensure the plicy is understd and implemented rather than remaining a dcument in gvernment archives.
“The plicy puts emphasis n the prfessinalisatin f the pre-primary and primary teachers,” Ms Mutumba said.
She said yung children require trained prfessinals wh understand child develpment, hw children learn and apprpriate methds fr teaching them.
“If a persn des nt understand wh a child is, hw children learn, what they need and the characteristics f children, it makes it very difficult fr them t implement the plicy,” she said.
Ms Mutumba said guidelines require teachers t be qualified t handle yung children, while teachers must als be registered and licensed in line with the natinal teacher plicy.
She said ECD centres and pre-primary schls must als be registered with the ministry.
The plicy further prvides that pre-primary children shuld attend active learning sessins frm 8am t midday, which Ms Mutumba described as a maximum f three hurs a day.
Children wh remain at the centre beynd active learning perid shuld be prvided with daycare services, including time t rest and receive care.
The ministry is als prmting use f familiar r lcal languages in teaching yung children.
Ms Mutumba said children shuld be welcmed using languages they understand because these are ften languages spken at hme.
“If we are t receive them with lve, they need t be received in a language they understand s that they dn’t tend t fear the schls,” she said.
She said teachers need specialised training t understand children’s characteristics, cncentratin spans and age-apprpriate learning materials.
Penalties pending
Ms Mutumba said gvernment is still develping legislatin that will prvide penalties fr institutins and individuals wh fail t cmply with ECCE requirements.
“We are yet t put the punishments,” she said, adding that immediate fcus was n helping stakehlders understand imprtance f the plicy and implement it.
The plicy targets children frm birth t six years and their parents.
The ministry has als develped basic requirements and minimum standards fr early childhd care and educatin.
Ms Mutumba said a revised natinal pre-primary curriculum, cvering baby, middle and tp classes, is currently being pilted and is expected t be apprved after pilt ends in ctber.
The ministry is als wrking with Ministries f Gender, Labur and Scial Develpment and Health, thrugh Natinal Curriculum Develpment Centre, t finalise a birth-t-three curriculum t guide daycare centres.
Ms Mutumba als urged teachers t upgrade their qualificatins, saying public universities and Uganda Natinal Institute fr Teacher Educatin have intrduced diplma and degree prgrammes.
She said gvernment had targeted mre than 3,000 teachers fr an upgrading prgramme advertised thrugh Kyambg University, but fewer than 2,000 respnded.
She urged teachers t take advantage f available prgrammes, sme f which allw tuitin t be paid in instalments.