Inadequate funding for staff recruitment and aging infrastructure remain major challenges facing the Uganda National Institute for Teacher Education (UNITE) as the institution transitions from diploma training to university degree programmes.
UNITE Vice Chancellor Prof Betty Akullu Ezati revealed the challenges on Thursday while leading members of the UNITE Council and administrators on an assessment visit to the institution’s Kabale Campus.
UNITE inherited the infrastructure of five former National Teachers Colleges – Unyama, Mubende, Kaliro, Kabale and Muni – which were phased out and transformed into degree-awarding campuses under the new teacher education framework.
Prof. Ezati said staffing levels remain critically low due to inadequate wage allocations.
“A total of 137 staff, representing only 12.36 percent of the 1,107 required across all UNITE campuses, have been recruited. Due to inadequate wage provisions, many staff at UNITE campuses remain on the payroll of the Ministry of Education and Sports,” she said.
She noted that although the campuses benefited from infrastructure upgrades funded by development partners including Enabel, VVOB and the Islamic Development Bank several years ago, critical facilities still require rehabilitation.
At Kabale Campus, some student hostels and staff houses remain roofed with asbestos sheets, which have long been condemned due to health concerns.
“Some key infrastructure at Kabale Campus, including students’ halls of residence and staff houses, were not renovated and are still roofed with condemned asbestos sheets,” Prof. Ezati said.
She added that the institution’s vision of delivering practice-based teacher education requires further investment in teaching facilities, laboratory equipment and library resources.
“Although our strategic direction is the vocationalisation of teacher education, teaching and learning facilities, laboratory equipment and library resources across all campuses need upgrading to meet the standards of a degree-awarding institution,” she said.
UNITE Council Vice Chairperson Teopista Birungi Mayanja said the institution is expected to play a central role in transforming Uganda’s education sector by professionalising the teaching profession.
She explained that the proposed National Teacher Council will regulate the profession by licensing teachers in a manner similar to lawyers and medical practitioners.
Kabale Campus Dean Annet Komunda welcomed the council’s visit, saying it would help highlight infrastructure gaps requiring urgent attention.
“The visit comes at an appropriate time because some of the challenges affecting the campus, particularly the need to renovate student hostels and staff houses, can now receive greater attention,” she said.
Delivering a keynote address, Prof. James Tumwine, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine at Kabale University, encouraged teacher educators to embrace technological innovations while maintaining critical thinking skills.
“Concentrate on Real Intelligence rather than relying entirely on Artificial Intelligence because it gives students the opportunity to use their brains to be innovative and creative,” Prof. Tumwine said.
Kabale District Principal Administrative Secretary Gordon Manzi and Deputy Mayor Kedress Mutabazi praised the government’s decision to elevate the former National Teachers College into a degree-awarding institution, saying the move would enhance teacher training and stimulate local economic development.
The transition of teacher training institutions into UNITE campuses forms part of broader education reforms aimed at improving the quality, professionalism and relevance of teacher education in Uganda.