Kole | The Uganda National Teachers’ Union (UNATU) representative for Northern Uganda has expressed his displeasure with the discriminatory salary increases for teachers.
Ambrose Ogwal serves on the UNATU executive council as a representative of secondary school teachers. He is also the executive director of Wisdom High Senior Secondary School in Akalo, Kole district.
The UNATU representative has urged the government to provide an equitable salary increase to science and arts teachers, as well as other civil servants.
Ogwal expressed these concerns on Sunday, October 6, 2024, during a dedication prayer for Wisdom High School’s “O” and “A” Level candidates, who are preparing for the Uganda National Examination Board’s 2024 exams.
“As an education advocate, I encourage parents to recognize that Uganda’s education system is moving toward a more practical approach with the new curriculum. “I urge parents to reconsider prioritising nursing and to support their children’s education at all stages of their studies,” he said.
Wisdom High School achieved remarkable success in the 2023 UACE results, ranking first in the Lango sub-region and Northern Uganda. One candidate scored 19 points.
The school was also ranked 25th out of 2,014 schools nationwide that took part in that year’s final exams.
Ogwal, who has written a book on modern European history and is a panelist for history and political education at the National Curriculum Development Centre (NCDC), assured the public that the school is dedicated to excellence in both the old and new curricula.
He stated that they were previously the best performers in Northern Uganda under the previous system.
Wisdom High has over 149 Senior Four candidates and 222 Senior Six candidates, with a total enrollment of 1,008 students. Ogwal emphasised that the candidates are well-prepared and ready to excel, as the institution strives for higher educational standards in Northern Uganda.
Morish Odung Omara, the former Mayor of Lira Municipality before it was elevated to a City, is a board member of Wisdom High. He also currently works as an assistant inspector of schools for Dokolo district.
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Odung has urged parents to prioritise their children’s school fees, emphasizing that education is the only way to progress.
He urged candidates across the country not to be afraid of exams, stating that they are a normal part of the educational process and do not pose a threat. He also encouraged teachers to continue their important work because teaching is a divine calling.
Reflecting on his own experience, Odung stated that he completed his UACE in 1995 and that examinations did not impede his progress at the basic levels of his education.
He reminded the public that his cohort was the last to take UACE exams in March 1998, before the senior six examination schedule was moved to November.
During the dedication prayers, Rev. Captain George Olabora of the Kumi Diocese advised candidates to put their faith in God first in order to succeed.
Captain Olabora cautioned that, while prayer is important, it should not replace diligent study in the days leading up to the exams, as inadequate preparation could make the exams difficult.
Rev. Olabora also warned candidates against engaging in acts of indiscipline as they prepare for the upcoming examination, which he described as the pinnacle of their educational journey.
The Uganda National Examination Board has scheduled the senior four candidates’ examinations to begin on October 14, 2024, with a briefing on Friday, October 11.
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