Head teachers protest public humiliation during Balaam’s anti-corruption tours

4 September 2026, 12:29 pm

By Isaac Okello

Secondary school head teachers have expressed concern over what they describe as public humiliation by the Minister of Local Government, Balaam Barugahara, during his ongoing anti-corruption tours across the country.

More than 1,000 head teachers under the Association of Secondary School Head Teachers of Uganda raised the concerns during their annual general meeting held at St Katherin SS in Lira City yesterday.

Chepsikor Muhaamed Moses Pripinya, the head teacher of Sironko SS, criticised Minister Barugahara for allegedly making head teachers stand before students and questioning them publicly, saying the practice lowers their morale and undermines their role as educators.

Chepsikor said the minister had been questioning head teachers over alleged misuse of school funds before establishing whether they were responsible for the alleged financial irregularities.

He appealed to the Bishop of Lango Diocese, Rt Rev Professor Alfred Olwa, to engage President Yoweri Museveni and ask him to stop what he described as the unnecessary targeting of head teachers.

The President of the Association of Secondary School Head Teachers of Uganda, Hajjat Nabukeera Zulaika, said that if Minister Balaam Barugahara was fighting corruption, he should follow the law instead of publicly humiliating head teachers.

She said Barugahara had the right to visit schools but should not arrest or mistreat head teachers.

The Chairperson of the Lango Secondary School Head Teachers Association and Head Teacher of Lira SS, Isaac Ochoo, also criticised the minister, saying the arrest and public humiliation of head teachers in front of pupils had left some demoralised, while others were considering leaving the teaching profession.

Responding to the complaints, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education and Sports, Dr Kedrace Turyagenda, urged head teachers not to be intimidated by the minister’s actions.

Dr Turyagenda advised head teachers to manage school funds transparently and provide proper accountability while maintaining high standards of service and safeguarding learners’ welfare.

She also cautioned teachers against using corporal punishment, saying it is prohibited under Ugandan law.

Dr Turyagenda said Barugahara had the right to visit any school in the country, adding that corruption remained a major challenge that needed to be addressed.

The Bishop of Lango Diocese, Rt Rev Professor Alfred Olwa, pledged to meet President Yoweri Museveni and present the concerns raised by head teachers, particularly regarding the arrest and public questioning of head teachers over school finances.

Lira City Council Mayor Sam Atul said the Government could face financial costs if head teachers who are arrested and later found innocent seek compensation through the courts.

Atul said that although fighting corruption was important, proper investigations should first be conducted before individuals are publicly humiliated.

Meanwhile, Simon Okeng, Head Teacher of Acaba SS in Oyam District, appealed to the Ministry of Education and Sports to resolve disputes between school foundation bodies and school management, saying the disagreements were affecting education in several schools.

Okeng warned that if the disputes continued, many learners could eventually drop out of school.