4 NEW VISION, Friday, September 2, 2016 NATIONAL NEWS Missing lady leaves Govt to pay teachers family in panic

By Gloria Nakajubi, Ali Kizza and Martin Kizza through mobile money The family of a 33-year- By Kenneth Niwamanya old Jane Francis Kajumba Musiitwa has been In a move to curtail rampant thrown in panic after she teacher absenteeism in schools mysteriously disappeared that has seen students’ academic two weeks ago. performance deteriorate, Kajumba, an employee the education ministry has of United Bank for Africa embarked on the introduction of (UBA), is a mother of an electronic mode of payment of two and wife of Cephas teachers’ salaries through mobile Musiitwa of Kavule in money, that will see all teachers Mpigi district. Jane Francis Kajumba get their salaries through their Speaking to New Vision phones from wherever they are. yesterday, Kajumba’s Dr Tony Mukasa Lusambu, sibling, Jerome Isunju, “When I asked the assistant commissioner revealed that before she primary education, said the disappeared, she had her why she new intervention is focusing symptoms of a mental on approaches that are both breakdown. wanted to end technological and social. He Information of her said this approach was devised disappearance came to by technocrats in the basic light yesterday when the her life, she said education department of the family placed a notice in ministry. He made the revelation the media. she was tired yesterday during the ongoing According to the brother, 23rd annual education and State minister for primary education Rosemary Seninde (left) interacts with the he fi rst attributed her unco- and wanted to sports sector review conference chairman for education service commission, Haji Badru Lubega, during the review ordinated communication yesterday. Photo by Maria Wamala in Kampala. to work-related stress. But Isunju “We are proposing to use he became more concerned die.” mobile money deposits for take monthly returns to the training of teachers. “It is better when she started talking teachers’ salaries. Some teachers district education offi cers to for a teacher to give an excuse of about committing suicide. Kajumba had been on sick in rural settings surrender their monitor the attendance. Public BETWEEN THE LINES: being absent than being present, “I asked her why she leave for about two weeks. automated teller machine cards awareness is also another trend  There are over but psychologically absent,” he wanted to end her life and Though a rather to friends to go and withdraw that will see the reduction of 172,000 teachers on the said. she said she was tired and complex case, according money from their bank accounts, teachers’ absenteeism in schools. Government payroll who are Shem Musoke, the O’ level just wanted to die,” Isunju to Kasambeko since they which is expensive and time Lusambu said the ministry likely to benefi t from the director of studies, Kitante Hill said. had never registered any wasting. This will stop,” he said. will embark on sensitising the new payment system, if it Secondary School in Kampala, He revealed that the last such incidence. The bank This intervention will community about the importance is approved. These include said the system is convenient time Kajumba was seen is in touch with the family require the registration of of teachers’ presence in schools. primary and secondary and suitable for teachers in hard- was at a pastor’s place, and the Police to trace teachers’ mobile money phone This will enable members of the school teachers, as well to-reach-areas. where the husband had Kajumba’s whereabouts. numbers into the system of community, who see any teacher as tutors and tertiary James Tweheyo, the executive taken her for prayers. “It is not commonplace telecommunication companies riding a bodaboda or doing other institutions. secretary of UNATU, explained He did not identify the that someone just to ease payment instead of work during school time, to that as UNATU they would pastor. She is said to have disappears. As a bank, travelling to the banks. inform respective offi cials. not have any problem with the stealthily escaped from the we are working with the He further noted that, the According to Lusambu, this will and the fi nance ministry to proposal of paying teachers home. family to fi nd out what ministry is set to introduce be done through the provision approve the measures,” he through mobile money since it is When contacted, exactly happened with the thumbprint gadgets in schools of telephone numbers of the explained. Dan Mugyenyi, the intended to reduce time wastage. Kajumba’s husband, main objective of fi nding as another approach so that all district education offi cers to the municipal education offi cer of “We need to guard against Musiitwa declined to her,” he said. teachers’ thumbs are scanned members of the community. Busheyi-Ishaka municipality, the unintended results. make any comment on Offi cers at Nateete Police upon clocking in at school. He He said that teacher said absenteeism in schools will Many teachers operate loan the events that led to the Station, where the case added that this will record the absenteeism is affecting the not reduce as long as teachers accounts, how will the new disappearance of his wife. was reported, refused to date of attendance and the time education sector because, are not living within the schools. system be reconciled with the “I leave it to the comment on the matter as of arrival. the presence, guidance and commercial banks’ loan recovery media to write whatever this might jeopardise the “We are looking at the possible exemplary behaviour of teachers What teachers say mechanisms? they want. You can investigations. ways to buy the gadgets,” contributes up to 75% of the Gonza Ssensamba, the vice “There is need to guard against actually write that when However, one offi cer at Lusambu said. According to students’ performance. He said national chairman of Uganda loan defaults, possible errors in contacted, the husband the station, who preferred Lusambu, the other approach the ministry offi cials will convene National Teachers Union the system and the possibility refused to comment,” he anonymity, stated that: is the introduction of bonuses on September 9 to discuss the (UNATU), said absenteeism is of discouraging teachers from said. “We are on the ground for teachers who attend school measures. complex because it deals with saving because money on the According to the bank’s and we are working with throughout the term, adding “We have to work with the the psychology of a human being mobile money account can head of communication, the right leads. For now, we that will be done through Ministry of Public Service, and, therefore, connects with the be withdrawn any time,” he Stephen Kasambeko, at are positive that she is alive the system that headteachers telecommunication companies attitude of the top offi cials and added. the time of disappearance, somewhere.” Vision Group to run series on co-operatives starting tomorrow By Moses Mulondo The series will feature stories about Co-operatives are business were traditionally formed to market country. existing co-operatives and former enterprises owned, controlled and agricultural produce. The Urban TV news manager, Beginning tomorrow, New Vision co-operatives; digging deep into run by a group of users for their Mukholi said New Vision will, for Joachim Buwembo, who is co- and other Vision Group media how they performed and why they own benefi t. In the US, 29,000 co- 10 days, have an informative and ordinating the project of the series platforms will embark on running collapsed. operatives operate in every sector educative story about co-operatives on co-operatives, said:“With the series of stories about co-operative On many occasions, Ugandans have of the economy. US co-operatives At the end of the campaign, various challenges in our economy, unions to inform the debate about regretted the collapse of co-operative generate two million jobs and make Mukholi said, New Vision readers people are increasingly demanding the outcry regarding the revival of unions whenever they are faced with a substantial contribution to the US will know the benefi ts of co- the revival of co-operatives because co-operatives. economic challenges. economy with annual sales of $652b operatives and how best to manage they remember how they were greatly “We are responding to the call for Mukholi indicated that there would and assets worth $3 trillion. them. empowered economically by the the revival of co-operatives. As the also be stories about the Co-operative In the neighbouring Kenya, reports The state minister for microfi nance, co-operatives. They are a powerful leading media house, we thought Bank, the role it played and the role it indicate that 63% of Kenyans earn Haruna Kasolo, revealed early engine in the modernisation and it necessary to inform the public can play, if it is revived. their livelihood from co-operative this week that the Government commercialisation of agriculture.” about past co-operatives, how they The Cooperative Bank had enterprises, which account for has secured a loan, worth sh32b, Buwembo said the stories on performed and the reasons that led to branches across the country and it 45% of the country’s GDP of from the Islamic Development cooperatives will be aired during their collapse,” New Vision managing was the main source of credit and $55.2b. Bank to support efforts of reviving the 8:00pm news bulletin on Urban editor, David Mukholi, said. savings for the co-operative unions. Co-operative unions in Uganda co-operative unions across the TV.