Teacher Degree Policy

Teachers facing government mandated degrees…

The extended shutdown of the education system in Uganda for Covid-19 was devastating for students and teachers alike. Many students were forced to find jobs to help with family finances and never returned to the schoolroom, many others got married and were forbidden to return to the classroom. Those that did were automatically promoted to the next grade regardless of how well they performed, how much they learned, or how many days they were in school. They are hopelessly far behind.

Teachers experienced a lot of the same issues. They had to find a way to feed their families and with no income, they were forced to seek other employment. When the schools reopened many opted not to return but rather keep their new job. Many were not qualified to return since the government recently introduced a mandatory retooling of teachers to coincide with the introduction of the new National Teachers Policy. Beginning soon, every teacher employed by a secondary school  MUST have a degree.

The teachers who work at JPSS were paid by FOJPS throughout the pandemic and we are blessed that most of them have degrees and have returned to teaching our students! Some, though, have requested a “leave” to go back to school to further their education and get that degree. And, just like here in the USA, degreed teachers expect to earn a higher salary. As you can see, things are not much different in Uganda than they are here. Times are hard, and the next few years will be challenging for sure. That’s why we are so grateful to all of you who continue to support Friends of John Paul School. You are making a difference in the lives of these students and teachers. We are especially grateful to our “Sustaining Angel Monthly Donors.” This program really helps with our month to month planning. If you would like to help every month, it’s easy to do just click here:

And remember….. there is no such thing as too small a gift.