Mubende NTC grappling with understaffing, meagre grants

This implies that the college has a human resource gap 0f 41.

“This, therefore, compelled the college governing council to advise management to recruit part time staff in order to bridge the gap and this has been the practice for years which has led to constrained budgets,” Mr Kateregga said during the commissioning of new and rehabilitated facilities at Mubende National Teachers College last Friday.

The State minister for Primary Education, Ms Joyce Moriku Kaducu, represented the State minister for Higher Education, Mr Chrysostom Muyingo, at the function.

The project, which cost Shs8 billion, was funded by the Belgian government.

Mr Kateregga said the capitation grant of Shs1,800 which the government provides for each student at the college is too little to cater for students needs, including meals and scholastic materials.

“Whereas we appreciate the continued funding from the government, the capitation grant of Shs1,800 for each student per day is unrealistic. It cannot even buy a cup of coffee for breakfast. It’s our wish that it is increased to at least Shs6,000 so that the administration can be able to provide all services required for the proper teaching and learning processes,” he said.

Mr Keon Van Acoleyan, the deputy Head of Mission and Development Cooperation at the Embassy of Belgium, urged the government to expedite the issuance of diploma certificates for NTC graduates.

“Some graduates finished their diploma for Education four years ago, but they never received certificates yet we all know that education without a certificate is a wastage,” Mr Keon said.

More funding
He pledged more support to improve the qualitative training of secondary teachers so that they can provide high quality education for their students.

Ms Kaducu applauded the Belgian government for priotising education, saying through its support, five national teachers’ colleges (NTCs), including Kabale, Mubende, Muni, Unyama, and Kaliro have acquired new infrastructure.

“The facilities have been designed with a strong focus on the climate agenda and have been constructed to adjust to higher tropical temperatures in the region. This has been done by using affordable and sustainable materials such as bamboo poles from the local market because they are sustainable and allow for ventilation in classrooms that accommodate a large number of students,” she said.

She promised to ensure NTC graduates who have not received their diploma certificates get them.