Eronda
JF-Expert Member
- Dec 16, 2025
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- 558
Gulu East MP Gilbert Olanya has cautioned Minister Balaam Barugahara against humiliating teachers during school inspections, warning that such practices could cripple Uganda’s education system.
Speaking in Parliament, Olanya argued that Balaam’s confrontational style of monitoring schools is inappropriate and risks demoralizing educators. “The tendency of embarrassing teachers, what he’s doing right now, is going to bog down the education system in this country,” Olanya said.
He noted that while inspecting roads and buildings is straightforward because they can be “physically seen,” education requires a more sensitive approach. Teachers, he stressed, are the backbone of learning and should not be treated like corrupt contractors.
Balaam has recently intensified school inspections, exposing irregularities such as inflated pupil numbers and poor infrastructure. His tough methods have drawn both praise for accountability and criticism for intimidation.
Olanya’s warning adds to growing debate in Parliament over how best to balance transparency with respect for educators. Lawmakers now face the challenge of ensuring that anti-corruption campaigns strengthen, rather than weaken, Uganda’s classrooms.
Speaking in Parliament, Olanya argued that Balaam’s confrontational style of monitoring schools is inappropriate and risks demoralizing educators. “The tendency of embarrassing teachers, what he’s doing right now, is going to bog down the education system in this country,” Olanya said.
He noted that while inspecting roads and buildings is straightforward because they can be “physically seen,” education requires a more sensitive approach. Teachers, he stressed, are the backbone of learning and should not be treated like corrupt contractors.
Balaam has recently intensified school inspections, exposing irregularities such as inflated pupil numbers and poor infrastructure. His tough methods have drawn both praise for accountability and criticism for intimidation.
Olanya’s warning adds to growing debate in Parliament over how best to balance transparency with respect for educators. Lawmakers now face the challenge of ensuring that anti-corruption campaigns strengthen, rather than weaken, Uganda’s classrooms.
