Universal Primary Education (UPE) policy and teachers’ performance: a case of Wakiso District

Abstract

This study was conducted to establish and document how UPE policy has influenced Teachers’ Performance in UPE schools in Wakiso District. The study was conducted through a cross sectional survey design. Data was collected during the month of February to April 2008, using mainly questionnaires from 300 respondents selected from 60 UPE schools in Wakiso District. The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics of frequency distribution and percentages.

The study established that there was inadequate funding of FEA. The capitation grants provided by the government do not reach the UPE schools in time due to delay at the district head quarters. The finding also revealed that there was inadequate provision of teaching-learning facilities in the UPE schools. The teachers’ houses around the schools were very few and so old and weak. This implies poor working conditions for the teachers. The quality of classroom structures in the schools is questionable as some had already developed cracks and others had their roofs blown off by rainstorms. The introduction of automatic promotion, abolition of corporal punishment and the admission of both the underage and overage pupils to primary one resulted into undesirable indiscipline among the pupils in the UPE schools in Wakiso district. All these lead to poor teachers’ performance.

Basing on the findings, the study concludes that the general administration and teachers’ performance in Wakiso district is negatively affected by: the delay and inadequate provision of funds and teaching-learning facilities and by automatic promotion of pupils in UPE schools as well as the abolition of corporal punishment from schools.

Recommendations were made basing on the findings and conclusion of the study as follows; 1. The Government should review its budgetary provision so as to increase the capitation grants to reflect the increase in the cost of living and avail it to schools in time. 2. The government together with the MOES should monitor the construction of school buildings to ensure the construction permanent structures in the UPE schools. 3. The government in collaboration with the MOES should introduce pre-primary schooling in UPE schools so as to absorb the underage pupils. Extra lessons should be given to cater for those weak pupils promoted automatically. While appropriate measures of correcting pupils should be used to reduce on the indiscipline cases in UPE schools in Wakiso district.