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The FDC has rejected the centralized teacher training policy

05 October, 2026
9

The Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) has rejected a proposed government policy to centralise teacher training in a few national institutions, warning that the move could worsen Uganda’s teacher shortage and limit access to training. 


The proposed changes are part of a wider government reform of teacher education that has already seen training consolidated under the Uganda National Institute for Teacher Education (UNITE).

The Ministry of Education and Sports has said universities will eventually relinquish teacher-training responsibilities to UNITE, arguing that differences in approaches used by universities have affected the consistency of teacher preparation. The FDC, however, says the reforms risk worsening an existing teacher shortage, particularly following the phasing out of several Primary Teachers Colleges. 

According to the party, the Ministry has prepared a policy for Cabinet consideration that would create a few gazetted National Teacher Training Institutions under the ministry while phasing out the existing 33 Primary Teachers Colleges and five National Teachers Colleges. The proposed policy would also stop public and private universities, including Makerere, Kyambogo, Muni, Gulu and Busitema, from training teachers, according to the FDC.

In a media briefing on Monday, FDC Deputy Secretary for Publicity, Publication and Documentation Mulindwa Walid Lubega said the party rejects the proposed centralisation, arguing that it would reduce the number of teachers being trained at a time when the country already faces a shortage. 

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