Mbarara City | 26 August 2026
The Uganda National Teachers’ Union (UNATU) has called on young teachers to take a more active role in the Union, saying its future strength will depend on members who understand their rights, responsibilities and the changing policies shaping the teaching profession.
The message came as 120 regional delegates, youth teachers and representatives of special interest groups gathered at Catholic Social Centre in Mbarara City for a membership education training organised by UNATU South Western Region.
The engagement was designed not simply to explain how the Union works, but to equip participants with knowledge they could take back to teachers in their branches and schools.
‘Your ideas are needed today’
Opening the training, the UNATU National Chairperson placed young teachers at the centre of the Union’s future, highlighting the energy, ideas and digital skills they bring to the teachers’ movement.
“UNATU recognises you as both the present and future of the Union. Your ideas are needed today for the development and strength of the Union.”
He challenged young members to be proud of their Union, understand how it works, remain connected and bring other young teachers on board.
But he also stressed that membership comes with responsibility.
Young teachers, he said, should be willing to ask questions, understand both their rights and responsibilities and actively contribute to building the organisation they expect to represent them.
For regional delegates, the responsibility extends further. As a link between the Union and its membership, they were encouraged to take the knowledge gained from the training back to the teachers they represent.
The South Western Regional Chairperson echoed that message, urging participants to use the engagement to “know, understand and share with others” rather than allowing the knowledge to end with those in the room.
Beyond knowing the Union
The training also turned to a growing concern within the profession: the wellbeing of teachers themselves.
UNATU General Secretary Baguma Filbert Bates led participants through Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS), explaining mental health as a state in which a person is able to thrive and function effectively.
Participants explored how changes in sleep, appetite, behaviour and emotional stability can signal that a colleague may be struggling.
They were encouraged to pay attention to one another and recognise distress early, reinforcing a message UNATU has increasingly carried through its engagements with teachers: supporting the profession must include supporting the people within it.
The General Secretary also encouraged participants to remain connected to official Union information through UNATU’s digital platforms, including the website, YouTube channel and MyUNATU.
Understanding a changing profession
A significant part of the engagement focused on changes in Uganda’s education and public service environment and what they mean for teachers.
The General Secretary took participants through the National Teacher Policy, highlighting three key frameworks: Continuous Professional Development, Social Dialogue and Teacher Incentives.
Continuous Professional Development provides for teachers to continually update their professional knowledge and competencies, while the Social Dialogue Framework creates space for stakeholders to discuss issues affecting education. The Teacher Incentive Framework addresses recognition, performance and accountability within the profession.
Participants were also briefed on the emerging role of the National Teachers’ Council, including teacher registration and licensing, as well as the importance of understanding the revised Public Service Standing Orders.
The discussion extended to the new contributory pension arrangements, under which employees will contribute 5% while government contributes 10%, bringing the total contribution to 15%.
Members were further reminded of changes in performance management, including the move from the previous appraisal approach to the Balanced Scorecard, and were cautioned to protect sensitive information such as passwords, computer numbers and PINs.
From membership to participation
UNATU’s investment in membership education is part of a wider effort to build a stronger, more informed and more resilient teachers’ movement.
By creating spaces where members can understand the Union, engage with policy changes, discuss teacher wellbeing and prepare for leadership, UNATU is strengthening not only its structures, but also the confidence and agency of the teachers who sustain them.
For the young teachers in South Western Region, the message is clear: the future of the Union cannot be left to someone else.
Every young teacher has a responsibility to learn, participate, organise, share accurate information and prepare to serve.
The mantle now rests with a new generation of educators to carry forward the values of solidarity, professionalism and collective action, and to ensure that UNATU remains strong, responsive and rooted in the needs of teachers.
The future of the Union will be shaped by the youth who choose to take responsibility for it today.
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