“Public officers are being branded thieves and publicly humiliated in front of their own learners and communities long before any legal inquiry or conviction takes place,” Baguma said.
The Uganda National Teachers’ Union (UNATU) has criticised Minister for Local Government Balaam Barugahara over the arrest and public grilling of headteachers and education officials during his inspections of government schools.
UNATU General Secretary Filbert Baguma said the union supports the government’s efforts to fight corruption and protect public resources but argued that enforcement should follow established investigative and administrative procedures.
Baguma said publicly accusing education officials before investigations are concluded can damage their dignity and professional reputation, particularly when the allegations are later found to have no basis.
“Public officers are being branded thieves and publicly humiliated in front of their own learners and communities long before any legal inquiry or conviction takes place,” Baguma said.
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He questioned what happens to headteachers and other education officials whose reputations are damaged by public accusations but are subsequently cleared of wrongdoing.
Balaam has been conducting inspections of government schools in several districts, focusing on pupil enrolment, unauthorised fees and the management of Universal Primary Education (UPE) and Universal Secondary Education (USE) funds.
Some of the inspections have resulted in arrests and investigations after discrepancies were reportedly found between school records and physical headcounts.
Tororo District Chairperson John Okea said some of the cases require a better understanding of the administrative procedures followed by district education authorities.
Okea cited a recent case in which Balaam ordered the arrest of education officials over alleged inflation of pupil numbers to obtain additional capitation grants.
He said the district had already verified the enrolment figures, notified the Ministry of Education about the excess learners and reallocated the surplus funds to other education needs in line with the required procedure.
“While there are corrupt officers in the district, the minister rushed on this specific issue,” Okea said. “His aggressive approach makes it impossible for anyone to explain administrative procedures.”
The disagreement also extends to parental contributions in government schools.
Baguma said schools have traditionally relied on parents to meet some operational costs that are not fully covered by government funding, including payments for additional teachers and other basic requirements.
He said the minister’s position against unauthorised charges had left some headteachers uncertain about how to meet these costs without risking arrest or disciplinary action.
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Baguma called for a broader review of the challenges facing the education sector, arguing that the focus should be on finding sustainable solutions rather than politicising the problems.
“In the end, the child is going to be affected,” he said.
The government maintains that UPE and USE schools should not impose fees on learners and has intensified inspections to identify schools collecting unauthorised charges or mismanaging public funds.
The inspections have also highlighted the financial pressures facing government schools, with education leaders saying government grants do not cover all operational needs.
In some schools, headteachers have reportedly laid off teachers employed through Parent-Teacher Association arrangements and stopped collecting fees following the enforcement of the government’s no-fees policy, creating gaps in staffing and teaching.
At the same time, questions remain over the accountability and management of money collected from parents, underscoring the need for clearer guidelines on how government schools can meet operational costs without violating UPE and USE policies.
