By Dramadri Federick

Arua City Education Office has threatened to take strict action against school head teachers who are computer illiterate and fail to be active online, alleging that their lack of engagement is tarnishing the image of the Public Service.

Addressing the head teachers during the announcement of the Arua City Academic Board (ACAB) 2025 mock results for primary schools, Raymond Ombere, the Principal Education Officer of Arua City, emphasized that many head teachers are absent from social media platforms and are not updated on current affairs—something he described as shameful for the public service.

Ombere cautioned that any teacher found without at least UGX 50,000 in their pocket, a fully charged smartphone, data bundles, and airtime would face disciplinary action.

He emphasizes the critical importance for head teachers to be consistently connected and equipped with resources, specifically highlighting that not being online due to lack of data should be addressed immediately.

He stresses that a head teacher, as a public officer, should always be financially prepared, suggesting that carrying at least UGX 50,000 is necessary to avoid being ineffective or unable to fulfill their duties effectively.

“This business of not being online because you lack data must end today. A head teacher should not be bankrupt; it is an offense to walk as a public officer without money. In fact, a head teacher must carry no less than UGX 50,000 at all times,” Ombere warned.

Some of the teachers interviewed expressed mixed opinions regarding this decision. They highlighted that teachers are poorly paid, with many lacking allowances, which often leaves them financially strained. They revealed that most teachers, especially arts teachers, are facing financial hardship due to unequal treatment and delayed salaries.

Elema Justus Oloto, the head teacher of Pokea Primary School in Ayivu Division, noted that salary disparities have lowered teachers’ morale, especially amid ongoing delays in salary payments. These delays significantly impact teachers’ finances.

“What teachers, including head teachers, receive cannot cover carrying UGX 50,000 daily. As I speak now, I don’t even have UGX 10,000 in my pocket. That’s why we are urging the government to increase our salaries so we can have some money regularly, either daily or weekly. Otherwise, it’s very difficult,” Oloto stated.

Victor Alioni, the head teacher of Ediofe Boys Primary School, welcomed the decision to hold teachers accountable for not using smartphones with internet access. However, he criticized the low funding from government capitation grants, which hampers efforts to procure data bundles.

“I personally agree with the move, but our main challenge is the limited funds from government aid. When the capitation grant runs out, it becomes difficult to load data onto our devices,” Alioni revealed.

Since the government initiated the Education Management Information System (EMIS)—an online platform for managing school data—the use of smartphones has become mandatory for teachers to access real-time information and research.