By KT Reporter
Uganda National Institute for Teachers Education (UNITE) Unyama Campus has opened its inaugural semester for the Academic year 2025/26 as a degree awarding institution.
Formerly Unyama National Teachers College, the Campus is among five other former National Teachers Colleges across the country that commenced postgraduate and graduate teachers programmes in March this year through the formation of UNITE.
UNITE was created in July 2024 by Statutory Instrument No 53 of 2024 Act Cap 262 as other degree-awarding institutions and operates as a multi-campus institution with campuses in Kaliro, Mubende, Muni, and Kabale.
Speaking at the launch of the new academic semester on Thursday in Gulu city, Dr Levi Kabagambe, the Institute Secretary of UNITE, said the degree programme presents a good opportunity for teachers to upgrade their academic qualifications.
Dr Kabagambe noted that the new programme has been brought closer to teachers in need of upgrading from certificate to diploma and from diploma levels to degree programmes which will help in improving the quality of teachers.
According to him, the new programmes will cater for teachers pursuing pre-primary, primary and secondary education.
The new academic semester opened on May 10 with some students already reported at the campus. Kabagambe noted that the students are currently undergoing two weeks induction that focuses on life skills, and motivation among others with a view to support them along the value chain and strengthen their decisions in the education sector.
Kabagambe noted that although students who are directly from secondary and holding senior six certificates are admitted, the new programme mostly targets in-service teachers with a view to upgrading their skills.
The second intake of students is expected to be conducted in August this year, according to Kabagambe.
Pariyo Lot Ewaku, the Dean UNITE-Unyama Campus noted that a total of 318 students have since reported to undertake various diploma and degree courses in education for may intake.
According to Ewaku, out of the 318 students, 14 students are pursuing a Diploma in Education Pre-primary, 129 Diploma in Education Primary, 130 in Bachelor’s of Education Primary, and seven in Bachelor’s in Education Primary direct entry.
Meanwhile, seven others are pursuing a bachelors in education pre-primary, two direct entries in a bachelors in education secondary science direct entry, and 29 in a bachelor’s in education science secondary.
Ewaku noted that he is expecting a prospective total of 523 students for the first cohort for the May intake.
Dr Sarah Nantono Bunoti, a trainer of trainers who is facilitating the induction of the first cohort of students at UNITE Unyama Campus, said they are engaging with the students on living a purposeful life, mindset change and attitude in the teaching profession.
She noted that the induction which takes two weeks will equip the students with a better understanding of their profession before they can start undertaking the diploma and degree programmes.
Some of the students have lauded the government for the new initiative which has offered them chances to upgrade. Angelo Ocan 45, a teacher at St Peter’s Primary School Laroo has for the past years been a grade three certificate holder from Gulu core Primary Teachers College.
Ocan said due to high cost of tuition, he had challenges of upgrading his academic qualification in the past but noted that the affordable tuition and expenses UNITE Unyama Campus attracted him to enroll for a Diploma programme in Primary education.
Melody Akello, another student currently pursuing Bachelors in Education primary equally reiterates that she couldn’t enroll at a private University to upgrade due to expenses until the opportunity came at UNITE Unyama campus.
In a bid to improve the quality of teaching and professionalize the teaching profession, the government is pushing for the legislation of the proposed National Teachers Bill 2024 which mandates all teachers to have a degree in education in order to teach at the levels of pre-primary, primary and secondary education-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
