By Walimbwa Moses
Calls for improved teacher welfare and professional conditions took centre stage as Uganda joined the world on 5 October to mark World Teachers’ Day 2026.
The celebrations were held under the theme, “Standing with teachers: 60 years of protecting the profession, advancing its status and shaping our futures.” The theme marks 60 years since the adoption of the 1966 ILO/UNESCO Recommendation concerning the Status of Teachers.
In Uganda, the Uganda National Teachers’ Union (UNATU) used the occasion to renew its call for greater support for teachers. In a message issued on 5 October, titled “World Teachers’ Day 2026: Celebrating Teachers, Creating Lasting Value,” the union highlighted the contribution teachers make to learners, families and society.
UNATU had raised similar concerns during a press conference at its headquarters in Kampala on 2 October. Together with child-rights organisations, the union called for greater attention to teacher welfare, working conditions, professional development, positive discipline and child protection.
The concerns come at a time when schools continue to face pressure from growing learner numbers and shortages of teaching staff.
Ministry of Education and Sports spokesperson Dr Denis Mugimba said Uganda has about 185,000 primary teachers and 65,000 secondary teachers in government and private schools, serving more than 10 million learners.
He said the average primary pupil-teacher ratio is between 55 and 60 learners for every teacher. In some government Universal Primary Education (UPE) schools, the number can reach 280 learners for one teacher. At secondary level, the ratio is between 31 and 40 learners per teacher.
The staffing challenge also extends to school leadership. The Education Service Commission recently reported a shortage of about 4,000 secondary teachers. More than 300 schools were reported to have no substantive head teacher, while 460 had no deputy head teacher. The commission partly attributed the shortages to inadequate wage provision.
Government is meanwhile implementing reforms aimed at strengthening teacher education and professional development.
The inaugural International Teacher Education Conference, held in Kampala from 1 to 2 October, brought together education stakeholders to discuss teacher preparation and the future of the profession.
National Planning Authority Executive Director Dr Joseph Muvawala said teachers have a critical role in preparing the skilled workforce required to drive Uganda’s economic transformation.
“The quality of the teaching workforce has implications that extend far beyond the classroom,” Dr Muvawala said.
Education Ministry Permanent Secretary Dr Kedrace Turyagyenda urged teachers and education institutions to focus on whether learners are actually acquiring knowledge and skills.
“If learning has not happened, you have not taught,” Dr Turyagyenda said.
The Ministry said it is pursuing reforms in teacher preparation, professional standards and continuous professional development, alongside efforts to strengthen teacher education and promote the use of digital technology.
Beyond professional development, teacher welfare remains closely linked to staffing levels, workloads, learning materials and working conditions. These factors influence the ability of teachers to give learners the attention and support required for effective learning.
The Ministry said it will continue working with UNATU and other stakeholders to address teacher welfare, recruitment and professional development. It also said efforts are ongoing to fill vacant posts, strengthen teacher training and improve learning conditions in schools across the country.
The 2026 World Teachers’ Day theme therefore puts the focus beyond celebrating teachers to the conditions under which they work, with professional status, welfare and adequate staffing remaining important to improving learning outcomes.