KIRA – WAKISO, Uganda : The Uganda Muslim Teachers Association (UMTA) has secured land in Bweyogerere, Kira Municipality in Wakiso District, where it plans to construct a state-of-the-art multi-purpose building complex estimated to cost UGX 2.5 billion.
The proposed facility, which is expected to be completed within 18 months, will serve as a major centre for teacher development and community activities. The Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Education and Sports, Dr Kedrace Turyagyenda, is expected to preside over the groundbreaking ceremony in the near future.
According to UMTA leaders, the modern complex will house a fully equipped teachers’ resource centre, an ICT laboratory, library, mosque, conference hall, sports facilities, recreational amenities, and commercial rental spaces. The project is also expected to become one of the association’s flagship income-generating ventures.
The remarks were made over the weekend by the incoming UMTA president, Hajj Musa Musoke Mpungu, after he was re-elected for a second and final term during the 34th Annual General Meeting and Convention held at Kawempe Muslim Secondary School.
Mpungu said UMTA, in collaboration with various stakeholders, has registered significant achievements in promoting education among Muslim communities across the country. He cited the strengthening of Uganda Muslim Education Association (UMEA) solidarity games, debating clubs, ICT initiatives, and other academic programmes aimed at equipping students with practical skills for the future.
He also noted that the association has continued to transform the welfare and professional capacity of Muslim teachers through continuous professional development and academic training opportunities.
According to Mpungu, these efforts have improved the performance of Muslim teachers both in classroom instruction and administrative responsibilities, making UMTA one of the most respected education associations in the country.
He commended regional coordinators for effectively implementing government education policies and UMTA programmes, saying their work has strengthened collaboration with local government authorities.
Mpungu observed that Muslim teachers were previously few in number and had limited influence in the education sector. However, he said UMTA’s deliberate efforts to encourage academic upgrading have enabled many teachers to secure promotions and occupy high-profile positions of responsibility.
During the closing ceremony of the convention, the Commissioner for Education Service at the Education Service Commission (ESC), Hajj Muhammad Kaaya, urged teachers to urgently pursue degree qualifications in preparation for the government’s forthcoming policy requiring all teachers to hold university degrees in order to remain in active classroom service.
Kaaya, who represented the ESC Secretary, Hajj Asuman Lukwago, warned teachers against delaying the upgrading process, saying the mandatory degree qualification policy would soon be enforced.
“As our fellow Muslim teachers, we encourage you to urgently upgrade and secure degree qualifications before the mandatory enforcement policy takes effect,” Kaaya said.
He also appealed to Muslim teachers to encourage more students to pursue teacher education courses in order to address the shortage of Muslim teachers across the country.
Lukwago, in his message, praised Muslim teachers for maintaining discipline, professionalism, integrity, and ethical conduct, noting that fewer cases of corruption and misconduct had been reported among them.
