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Mukono headteacher keeps office 7 months after retirement
Students walk in the compound of Mukono High SS on October 11, 2019. PHOTO BY FRED MUZAALE
What you need to know:
- Mr Ismail Mulindwa, the acting director of Basic and Secondary Education in the Ministry of Education, said it is a normal practice for a head teacher who retires to vacate office and hand it to his/her deputy.
A section of parents of Mukono High School have expressed anger over the continued stay in office of the head teacher, seven months after he retired from civil service.
The parents blame Mukono Diocesan leaders, the foundation body of the school, for “abetting the illegal stay” of the headteacher in office. The diocese says it is because of his good track record.
More than 50 concerned parents, led by Mr James Kitosi, claim although the head teacher, Mr Julius Mukwanya, retired in March, he has continued to head the school, something they say is not only illegal, but has affected the management of the school.
Mr Mukwanya has been the head teacher of the school with an enrolment of 2,000 students for 20 years.
“Because he is in office illegally, he cannot make important decisions that pertain the running and management of the school, hence, many things such as the academic standards have gone down,” a teacher at the school, who preferred anonymity to speak freely about the matter, said on October 8.
Mr Kitosi said: “The school is in a state of confusion as the head teacher occupies office at awkward times when he is not expected to be in office. Whenever we come in the morning at the school, he is not in office. It is only when you come at past 4pm when you can see him.”
The school has two deputy head teachers.
Mr Mukwanya acknowledged that he retired seven months ago, but he explained that he is still in office because the diocese and the Ministry of Education had not yet chosen a successor.
“Even if they tell me today to hand over office to another head teacher, I will do so. I am no longer getting a salary for being head teacher; I now enjoy my pension,” Mr Mukwanya said.
Mr Mukwanya said the Ministry of Education and Mukono Diocesan officials were still in negotiations about a possible extension of his stay in office in form of a contract.
He, however, denies playing part in the negotiations, saying the diocese wants him to be given a contract because of the ongoing school projects such as building the perimeter fence and buying the school land.
“A school with 2,000 students, I can’t just vacate office and leave the school with a vacuum. Now, it is candidates are about to start exams, what will happen if I just vacate at this time?” Mr Mukwanya asked. He denies claims that he sometimes enters office at awkward hours.
Mr Geoffrey Kagoya, the diocesan education secretary, said they had received a letter from the Ministry of Education notifying them about Mr Mukwanya’s retirement.
“The bishop in turn wrote to the ministry asking them to offer a contract to the retired head teacher, but we have not yet received a response. I think the ministry should quickly make a decision on the matter because the head teacher, as we speak, does not want to continue occupying the office when he has no running contract,” Mr Kagoya said.
Among other problems affecting the school , Mr Kagoya said it has been operating without a board of governors committee for several months since the one headed by Dr Livingstone Ssewanyana expired early this year .
Ministry says
Mr Ismail Mulindwa, the acting director of Basic and Secondary Education in the Ministry of Education, said it is a normal practice for a head teacher who retires to vacate office and hand it to his/her deputy.
“May be he is still in office because the diocese has asked the ministry to grant him a contract,” Mr Mulindwa said.
He, however, said the decision to give a contract or not is not taken in one day and asked parents to remain patient.
