Image source: Workman House via pexels.com
In 2019, Uganda began implementing the National Teacher Policy, which requires all teachers to hold a Bachelor degree as a minimum qualification. Prior to that, teacher education in Uganda was offered through a variety of certificate and degree levels administered by different authorities.
Under the older system, teacher training was offered at Early Childhood Development/ECD Teacher Training Institutions, Primary Teacher Colleges, National Teacher Colleges, Health Tutor Colleges, and Universities.
Teacher education in Uganda was overseen jointly by the Teacher Instructor Education and Training Department/TIET of the Ministry of Education and Science and Kyambogo University. Kyambogo University is a public university established in 2003 out of the merger of the Institute of Teacher Education Kyambogo/ITEK (previously the Uganda Institute of Education), the Uganda National Institute of Special Education/UNISE, and Uganda Polytechnic Kyambogo/UPK.
Table excepted from "Teacher Issues in Uganda." (see Resources below.)
EARLY CHILDHOOD / PRE-PRIMARY LEVEL
Early childhood development and pre-primary teachers had several options. The Certificate in Child Care lasted for 1 year for primary school graduates and led to employment as a child care worker. A 12-week program was also available leading to the Certificate in Community Child Care. But a more rigorous Early Childhood Development/ECD program was available for those wanting to teach students under age 8. This is also known as a Nursery Teacher.
The Early Childhood Development Teachers' Certificate required completion of two years of study, usually at an Early Childhood Development Teacher Training Institution, though some enrolled in the ECD department of a Primary Teachers' College/PTC. Admissions required the Uganda Certificate of Education/UCE, also known as the Ordinary Level or O Level. ECD programs were registered with Kyambogo University, and graduates were also expected to register with the University.
The Early Childhood Development Teachers' Certificate allowed graduates to teach at the pre-school or pre-primary level in ECD centres, nursery or kindergartens, and day care centers. The ECD Teacher's Certificate was awarded by the Primary Teachers' College. Graduation led to employment or enrollment in a Diploma program at a National Teachers College/NTC.
GRADE I AND GRADE II CERTIFICATE / HISTORICAL PRIMARY
The earliest formal, non-university teacher training qualification, the Grade I Teacher’s Certificate was phased out in the 1950s. This training required completion of two years of teacher training after completing 6 years of general education. They generally taught at first and second year of Primary schools and were found teaching in rural schools for decades beyond the cessation of the teacher training program. This program was replaced by the Grade II Teacher’s Certificate, which put a greater emphasis on post-primary teacher training.
Until 1980, primary teacher training required completion of seven years of primary education (P7) followed by four years of teacher training at a Primary Teachers’ College/PTC. Upon completion of the program, graduates were awarded a Grade II Teacher Certificate, which allowed them to teach at the lower primary education level. The curriculum was designed to provide a general exposure to academic and professional subjects to new teachers to enable them to teach at lower primary levels.
This program was officially retired when it was determined that primary teachers needs to complete both primary and secondary education before beginning their teacher training. Graduates of Grade II Teachers’ Certificate programs were given the option to upgrade their qualifications to Grade III or beyond.
However, both Grade I and Grade II teachers were still teaching in many schools far after their programs were phased out, especially in rural areas. It was common for Grade I teachers to teach the first two years of Primary school, and for Grade II teachers to teach at Grades 3-7.
GRADE III CERTIFICATE / LOWER PRIMARY LEVEL
At the primary school level, primary school teachers also completed a 2-year Certificate training program followed by in-service training for holders of the UCE. This training was conducted at a Primary Teachers' College/PTC.
Students registered with Kyambogo University upon completion of the program, since Kyambogo University was authorized by the Ministry of Education and Sciences to supervise the curriculum and award the Grade III Certificates. Since 2012 to the present, Kyambogo University has maintained a public list of affiliated primary teachers' colleges as well as lists of graduates. The number of affiliated institutions changes from year to year and has greatly decreased since 2019.
Upon completion of the program and registration, students were awarded a Grade III Teachers Certificate awarded by Kyambogo University. Older credentials were awarded by the Institute of Teacher Education Kyambogo.
This granted access to employment at the lower primary level (grades 1-4) or enrollment in the Grade IV Teacher's Certificate. The Grade III Certificate was the minimum qualification for primary school teachers. According to the National Council for Higher Education, the Grade III Teacher's Certificate was also considered equivalent to the A Level/UACE as a 2-year pre-university qualification after the O Level/UCE for some purposes, though it generally did not grant access to Bachelor degree programs.
GRADE IV CERTIFICATE / UPPER PRIMARY LEVEL
The Grade IV Teacher's Certificate required completion of an additional year of training at a Teacher Training College/TTC beyond the Grade III Teachers Certificate. It granted access to teach at the upper primary level (grades 5-7) in Uganda.
Secondary school teachers were generally trained at a National Teacher College/NTC, including those who wanted to upgrade their Primary teacher qualification. Students registered with Kyambogo University upon completion of the program. This program was also phased out by the early 2000s.
GRADE V CERTIFICATE / SECONDARY LEVEL
Admissions to a program for secondary school teachers required completion of the pre-university credential Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education/UACE, also known as the Advanced Level or A Level. Alternately, they could be admitted on the basis of a Grade III or Grade IV Teacher's Certificate.
Students enrolled in a 2- or 3-year program at a National Teachers Colleges/NTC, depending on their entry credential.
Upon completion, students would register with the Ministry of Education and Sports, and they were awarded a Grade V Teacher's Certificate or a Diploma in Education. This granted access to employment as a teacher at the secondary education level (grades 7-11). The Grade V Teacher's Certificate was the minimum qualification for secondary school teachers.
DIPLOMA LEVEL
Diploma programs are taught at National Teachers' Colleges. Admissions requires the UCE/O Level, the Grade II Certificate, the Grade III result slip, and two years of teaching experience.
The Diploma in Teacher Education/DTE program is a 2- or 3-year program aimed at primary school teachers. The Diploma in Education Primary/DEP The Diploma in Education Early Childhood Development/DEC requires 2 years of full-time study for those who already have an Early Childhood Development Teacher's Certificate or Certificate in Nursery Teaching.
BACHELOR LEVEL
Bachelor of Education and Bachelor of Arts/Science in Education programs were also available to holders of the UACE. These Bachelor degree programs granted access to further higher education and employment to teach at the secondary (grades 7-11) and pre-university (grades 12-13) levels in Uganda. Bachelor degrees were offered in Arts, Sciences, and Vocational Education with Education.
Those who had previously earned a Diploma in Teacher Education, Diploma in Early Childhood Development, or Diploma in Primary Education could enroll in a 2-year top-up Bachelor of Teacher Education. University students could also choose a Bachelor of Development Studies or Bachelor of Education in Administration.
In addition, those who held a 2-year Diploma in Secondary Education were able to enroll in a 2-year top-up Bachelor degree in Education.
POST-GRADUATE LEVEL
Those who obtained a Bachelor degree in a field other than Education could complete a 1-year post-Bachelor (Postgraduate) Certificate or Diploma in Education. This allowed holders of non-Education degrees to teach at the secondary or pre-university levels in Uganda. Popular options included the Post Graduate Diploma in Teacher Education and Post Graduate Diploma in Education. Others include the Post Graduate Diploma in Special Needs Education and Post Graduate Diploma in Educational Leadership.
MASTER LEVEL
Master of Education programs are also available to graduates of Bachelor or Post-Graduate Certificate/Diploma in Education holders. This is a 2-year program requiring completion of a Bachelor of Education, Bachelor of Teacher Education, or Post Graduate Diploma in Teacher Education. The Master of Education was also available in Policy, Planning, and Management.
Resources:
Achievement of Primary School Pupils in Uganda in Numeracy and Literacy in English. Uganda National Examinations Board, 2015. https://www.education.go.ug/utsep/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/4.-NAPE-2015-Report.pdf
Addressing the Challenges of Providing Quality Education for All in Uganda. Ministry of Education and Sports, 2017. http://www.seacmeq.org/sites/default/files/sacmeq/reports/sacmeq-iv/national-reports/sacmeq_iv_report_uga.pdf
Analysis of Teacher Education in East Africa: A Report. American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education, 1969. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED043561.pdf
Country Analysis: Education: Uganda. Woord Daad, 2007. https://www.bibalex.org/search4dev/files/372046/210010.pdf
Early Childhood Education. Kyambogo University. https://web.archive.org/web/20160714155331/http://kyu.ac.ug/new2016/index.php/courses/education/teacher-education-and-development/ecd-section
Education for National Integration and Development: Report of Education Policy Review Commission. Ministry of Education, 1989. https://www.npa.go.ug/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/EPRC-Report-1989.pdf
Handbook on Teacher/Instructor/Tutor Education and Training Policies. Ministry of Education and Sports, 2010. https://www.education.go.ug/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Policy-Handbook-FINAL.pdf
A Harmonized Framework for Initial Teacher Training in Uganda. Ministry of Education and Sports, 2016. https://www.education.go.ug/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/ITE-Framework.pdf
Kyambogo University: https://kyu.ac.ug/affiliated-institutions/ and https://web.archive.org/web/20160714155331/http://kyu.ac.ug/new2016/index.php/courses/education/teacher-education-and-development/ecd-section and https://earlychildhood.kyu.ac.ug/affiliated-institutions/ and https://kyu.ac.ug/downloads/FACT%20BOOK%202018-19.pdf and https://kyu.ac.ug/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Strategic-Plan-2020-2025.pdf and https://web.archive.org/web/20160501205656/http://kyu.ac.ug/new2016/index.php/courses/education/teacher-education-and-development/programmes
Ministry of Education and Science: https://www.education.go.ug/teacher-education/
Priorities for the Preparation of Secondary School Teachers in Middle Africa. International Council on Education for Teaching, 1970. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED041820.pdf
The SACMEQ II Project in Uganda: A Study of the Conditions of Schooling and the Quality of Education: Uganda Working Report. Ministry of Education and Sports, 2005. https://catalog.ihsn.org/index.php/catalog/4718/download/59551
Teacher Issues in Uganda: A Shared Vision for an Effective Teachers Policy. Teachers Initiative in Sub-Saharan Africa (TISSA), UNESCO, 2013. https://teachertaskforce.org/sites/default/files/migrate_default_content_files/tissa_uganda_full_report_1.pdf