LUWERO – At least 21 primary school head-teachers in Nakaseke district were discovered to have forged academic papers to obtain promotions – officials have revealed.
The head-teachers are accused of forging Grade III certificates, degrees from universities, and certificates of registration from the Ministry of Education and Sports to gain promotion in the district.
Nakaseke Chief Administrative Officer – CAO, Sarah Nakalungi revealed that the affected head-teachers were serving as caretakers for their respective schools – and when authorities requested for their papers to be confirmed as substantive heads – Nasser road was their preferred choice – presenting the same forged academic papers.
Nakalungi explained that a whistle-blower had notified her office – and as such she had forwarded the files of the accused persons to the Inspectorate of Government for – IGG for further investigations.
She noted that the IGG had already completed investigations into the matter of one of the acting head-teacher – recommending that she is forwarded to the District Service Commission for disciplinary action after she was found to have forged her Grade III certificate to gain promotion.
Nakalungi revealed that the affected head-teacher had already been deleted from the payroll – pending a report on the others.
According to Anne Twinomugisha Muhairwe – the Deputy IGG the accused head-teacher had confirmed to the investigating officers that indeed her Grade III certificate and certificate of registration from the Ministry of Education and Sports were forged at Nasser road in Kampala city.
In her January 17, 2023 letter, Muhairwe also ordered the CAO to report the head-teacher found with forged papers to the Police to face charges of uttering false documents.
Captain Yahaya Kakooza – the Nakaseke Resident District Commissioner noted that there were many teachers in service using forged academic papers because the District Service Commission were carrying out its work – effectively.
According to Auditor General Report for the year 2021/22, five other secondary teachers in Nakaseke also used forged minutes of the Education Service Commission to gain appointments.
The Auditor General said that the teachers drew Ugx148m as salaries in contravention of section (B – a) (1) & (2) of Uganda Public Service Standing orders, 2021 requiring public officers to be appropriately appointed.
Auditor General John Muwanga said that he brought up the matter to the Accounting Officer to discontinue the salary payments and pledged to take up the matter with the police for further investigations.
There are 934 teachers deployed in 114 UPE schools and 12 community primary schools across Nakaseke district.
