Police in Sembabule arrests two education officials over ghost teachers

Two education officials in Sembabule district have been arrested over the existence of ghost teachers and students in government schools in the district.  The arrested officials are Muhammad Kiggwe-Sembabule District Inspector of Schools and Patrick Muhwezi, the head teacher of Kawanda Church of Uganda Secondary School.

They were arrested last evening following investigations into reports that the number of teacher's students in the schools did not match what is reflected on the official record.  The investigations were led by Sembabule Resident District Commissioner Henry Baguma.

On Thursday, police and RDC Baguma raided Kawanda Church of Uganda Secondary School and found 10 that the school is being run by 10 teachers as opposed to the 17 teachers on the official record. The head teacher could not account for the 7 missing teachers who were also unknown to the learners.

Based on the inconsistencies, the RDC ordered that the two officials be arrested to aid government investigations into the existence of Ghost teachers in Sembabule district. Police also interrogated Paul Nantamu, the Sembabule District Education Officer on the presence of ghost teachers on the payroll.

Muhwezi, the head teacher of Kawanda Secondary School told Uganda Radio Network on Monday that he is equally unaware of the seven teachers who were allegedly deployed to the school. He said district officials have never explained why of the seventeen required teachers; only ten are available at the school.

Last year, Simon Bimbona, the former Sembabule CAO removed 40 ghost teachers from schools around the district. Officials say the district loses over 70 million Shillings every month on payments to none existent teachers.

-URN