By Moses Andama
www.mknewslink.com
In Masindi
Over 530 teachers were last year (2025) reported dead due to Economic pressure and work-related stress, according to the Secretary General of the Uganda National Teachers Union (UNATU), Philbert Baguma Baite.
Baguma made the remarks on Wednesday, August 19, 2026, while addressing primary and secondary school head teachers in Masindi during a performance management training session organized by UNATU at Biija Hotel.
According to Baguma, 412 of the deceased teachers were male, while 123 were female. He attributed the high number of deaths largely to the economic hardships and pressure faced by teachers
“From this, you can understand the burden male teachers are going through. Wives are pressuring our teachers to live outside their means,” Baguma said.
He said all the deceased teachers were UNATU members and urged head teachers to sensitize their staff about the importance of living within their means.
Baguma warned that financial pressure and work-related stress are contributing to illnesses among teachers, including hypertension and diabetes.
He urged education managers to handle challenges appropriately and avoid actions that could worsen stress among teachers.
“Let’s do the right thing at the right time, in the right way, and at the right place in order to manage issues which could affect your mental
He also called on teachers and head teachers in Masindi to unite and join the union instead of working in isolation.
“We should stop the issues of saying we are science teachers or teachers for humanities because when a wave comes, it sweeps us all,” he said.
He also cautioned head teachers against unethical practices, including inflating student enrollment figures.
“If the school has 200 learners, let it be. Why add 150 learners who aren’t existing? Let’s not give ourselves the burden by forging these simple things because they don’t add anything to us,” he warned.
The Principal Education Officer for Masindi Municipality, Sam Ayebale Peter, expressed concern over what he described as the increasing humiliation of members of the teaching profession.
“Teachers are getting humiliated in front of their clients as if they are not professionals. It’s very sad,” Ayebale said.
He said while education authorities should continue fighting corruption, excessive humiliation could discourage teachers from taking up leadership positions in schools.
Ayebale also criticized what he described as the tendency by some authorities to act on rumours before verifying facts.
Ayebale challenged teachers and head teachers in Masindi to ensure that their actions comply with the Education Act.
He also raised concern over the inadequacy of government grants to schools, saying the funds provided are often insufficient to meet schools’ needs.
However, Ayebale warned head teachers against expelling learners from school for failing to pay school charges.
“These children shouldn’t be subjected to chasing because they’re never part of the decision taken. Don’t punish learners by chasing them away,” he said.
He called on UNATU leaders to organize similar engagements annually to provide teachers and school administrators with continuous guidance.
Meanwhile, the Deputy District Education Officer for Masindi District, Edward Kiirya, challenged head teachers to ensure proper accountability for school resources.
source: www.mknewslink.com a greater western Uganda news website
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