By Calistus Imbayi
Members of Parliament (MPs) have opposed the move by the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) to have all public school teachers go for mandatory refresher courses known as Teacher Professional Development (TPD). The refresher course will determine their chances of promotion and their fate in the teaching service as well.
In a petition presented to parliament by Emuhaya Member of Parliament who is also the KUPPET national chairman Hon. Omboko Milemba, the MPs argue that no public participation was conducted and so the process has not followed the due process.
The legislators also argued that it’s against labour practice to force employees to undertake refresher courses without proper structure.
“Teachers are human beings like other employees and they should not be subjected to such stress,” the petition by the MPs read.
The MPs also opposed the fact that teachers will have to dig deeper into their pockets to pay for the refresher courses arguing that it’s the duty of the employer to fund for such programmes.
Milemba argued that most teachers had been delocalized therefore their time to bond with their families should be protected.
Milemba also doubted the choice of the four universities that have been earmarked to carry out the TPD training.
TSC rolled out the TPD program on 28th of September 2021. TPD will guide the employer on promotion of teachers under the Career Progression Guidelines (CPG) that came into force on November 8, 2017.
The TPD modules will be among the mandatory conditions for promotions of teachers in all promotional teaching Grades.
The matter will now be handled by the Education Committee and brought to the house for debate.
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