By Agnes Kiconco

KIU, Main Campus - In a press statement issued on Thursday, January 6, 2022, by the Minister of Gender, Labour and Social Development, Hon. Betty Amongi Ongom, it has been noted that the cash relief program will support 300,000 teachers across the country that fit the program eligibility criteria.

The statement regarding the Cash Transfer Program for Teachers in Primary and Secondary School confirmed that each teacher will receive UGX 100,000 net, and the program will cater for the taxes and withdrawal fees.

Teachers eligible for this program should not be on the government payroll, should be duly registered or licensed by the Ministry of Education and Sports (MOES), or have proof of submission of application for registration.

They should also have been teaching in a school licensed or registered by MOES before the beginning of the COVID-19 lockdown in March 2020 and did not benefit from the June-September 2021 government COVID-19 cash support program. Most importantly, they should have a mobile money account registered in their name.

"The decision to target teachers in private schools was based on the fact that schools have been closed since March 2020 when COVID-19 forced a nationwide lockdown."

"While the vast majority of sectors have fully or partially reopened, the education sector remained closed," read the statement in part.

In the meantime, Hon. Amongi in a statement announced that the Ministry of Gender is closely working with Kampala Capital City Authority, Chief Administrative Officers, Town clerks of cities and municipalities to ensure that Education Officers and Headteachers of private primary and secondary schools compile and upload data of eligible teachers on an online system.

The program will be officially launched by the Rt. Hon. Prime Minister on Tuesday, January 18, 2022, at Kampala Serena Hotel - added the statement.      

Program preparations were made by the Government of Uganda and GiveDirectly, an international NGO.

The program preparations come after H.E. the President directed the Prime Minister and Minister of Gender, Labour and Social Development to identify persons who depend on daily income in urban areas, assess their needs during the lockdown period, and identify interventions to take care of their needs.