As the dispute between Kyambogo University and former students who graduated with Diplomas in Sports Management over recognition as Physical Education teachers continues, questions have emerged on whether their qualification meets Uganda’s teacher registration requirements. The graduates, who enrolled in 2017, accuse the university of admitting them to a Diploma in Physical Education and Sports Management but awarding them Diplomas in Sports Management, which they say has denied them teaching opportunities.
Led by Haruna Muwanguzi and Julius Kimanje, the graduates argue they joined the programme expecting to qualify as secondary school Physical Education teachers but have since been rejected by the Ministry of Education and Sports, the Education Service Commission and other employers. Kyambogo University disputes the claims, saying the graduates completed an accredited Diploma in Sports Management, a programme not designed to train classroom teachers.
Vice Chancellor Prof. Eli Katunguka says the students studied the programme reflected on their academic records, adding that the reference to Diploma in Physical Education and Sports Management resulted from an admission error that was corrected at the start of the course. He added that PE is offered in the department of education while sports management is offered at the department of sports science.
Prof. George Wilson Kasule, an education expert, says possessing knowledge in a particular subject does not, on its own, qualify someone to become a teacher. According to Kasule, teacher education is a professional programme designed to prepare graduates not only in the content they will teach but also in the skills required to facilitate learning, manage classrooms and assess learners.
“Someone becomes a teacher after completing a programme that combines subject content with professional teacher education,” the professor of education said. “Studying a subject alone does not make one a teacher.”
Kasule explained that every recognised teacher education programme contains compulsory professional courses collectively known as the foundations of education. These include psychology of education, which helps teachers understand how learners think and develop; sociology of education, which examines the relationship between schools and society; and philosophy of education, which introduces the principles and purpose of education.
Beyond these foundation courses, trainee teachers undertake pedagogy, where they learn how to plan lessons, select appropriate teaching methods, manage classrooms and assess learners. They also study curriculum studies to understand how the national curriculum is designed, interpreted and implemented in schools.
Other compulsory courses include education management and administration, educational measurement and evaluation, guidance and counselling, educational technology and research methods, all of which prepare teachers for professional practice in schools.
Kasule added that another important components of teacher preparation is supervised teaching practice. “Teaching practice is where student teachers move from theory to practice,” he explained. “They are placed in real schools, teach actual learners under supervision and are assessed on lesson planning, classroom delivery, learner engagement, classroom management and professional conduct.”
A review of the graduates’ academic transcripts shows they completed a Diploma in Sports Management, a programme whose curriculum is largely focused on sports administration and management rather than teacher education.
The transcripts indicate that over the four semesters, the students studied courses in sports management, sports administration, various sports disciplines, alongside general university courses such as communication skills, computer applications and legal and ethical issues in sports.
Conspicuously absent from the transcripts are the professional education courses required for teacher preparation. The records reviewed by Uganda Radio Network do not show foundational education courses such as psychology, sociology or philosophy of education, nor do they include pedagogy, curriculum studies, educational assessment, education technology or supervised teaching practice.
Their absence from the graduates’ academic records has become central to the ongoing dispute over whether holders of the qualification can be recognised as trained teachers.
According to the University the Diploma in Sports Management prepares graduates for careers in sports administration, coaching and sports management, but does not constitute a teacher education qualification. Meanwhile, Prof Kasule added that secondary school teachers graduating at diploma and degree level are also expected to graduate with recognised teaching subjects in addition to the professional education courses.
“If a student’s transcript does not show the required professional education courses, recognised teaching subjects and successful completion of teaching practice, that person cannot claim to have completed a teacher education programme, regardless of the subject they studied,” he said.
Prof Katunguka also questioned whether the graduates possess the required teaching subjects needed for registration as secondary school teachers. He challenged the claimants to provide evidence of the teaching subjects they intend to present, asking what subjects they would teach since their qualification was not structured as a teacher education programme.
He said the university’s review of the matter indicates that many of the graduates are seeking recognition as Physical Education teachers because the subject has become increasingly sought after in secondary schools, where it is treated as part of the science-related disciplines and attracts competitive remuneration.
Katunguka advised the graduates to pursue the appropriate academic pathway by using their Diploma in Sports Management as a foundation for further studies rather than seeking recognition through a qualification that did not train them as teachers. He said they would be required to enrol for a relevant education degree programme with Physical Education and other recognised teaching subjects if they wish to join the teaching profession.
The affected graduates have maintained their demands and recently wrote to Kyambogo University seeking a meeting with the Vice Chancellor to find an amicable resolution. They want the university to issue letters confirming the validity and recognition of their qualifications for employment and further studies and compensate them for what they describe as lost years, earnings and emotional distress.
“The University issues to each affected student a formal letter confirming the validity and recognition of their qualification for purposes of employment and further studies…The University pays fair and reasonable compensation for the wasted years, lost earnings, and mental anguish suffered by the affected students,” their proposal reads.
Muwanguzi told Uganda Radio Network that the graduates are awaiting the university’s response. He said they enrolled and completed the course believing they were training to become Physical Education teachers and want the university to address what they describe as a mismatch between their expectations and the qualification awarded.
The National Council for Higher Education -NCHE has asked Kyambogo University to respond to the graduates’ complaints. In a letter dated July 3, 2026, NCHE said it had not yet determined the merits of the claims and that the matter remained under review. NCHE noted that Kyambogo had previously received accreditation for a Diploma in Physical Education and Sports Management in 2010 and a Diploma in Sports Management and Administration in 2015.
The graduates are questioning why they received Diplomas in Sports Management and whether the qualification is equivalent to either of the programmes accredited by NCHE-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
