300,000 Teachers to Benefit from New Covid-19 Cash Support Program

Minister of Gender, Labour and Social Development Betty Amongi revealed that the government in partnership with GiveDirectly, an international non-profit -- will send cash to 300,000 teachers in private schools across the country.

According to the minister, each teacher will get Shs100,000 minus taxes and withdrawal fees.

She said teachers that are eligible are those that are not on the government payroll, duly registered with the ministry of education and sports, already teaching in a school licensed by the education ministry before the beginning of the lockdown in March 2020.

These teachers should also not have benefited from the Covid-19 cash support program that occurred from June-September 2021 and they should have a mobile money account registered in their name.

In the June program, the government paid Shs52,719,505,703 to 497,848 beneficiaries, with each receiving Shs102,425, inclusive of bank and withdrawal charges.

The beneficiaries were vulnerable persons employed in the informal sector, specifically those who had been directly affected by the COVID-19 containment measures. They included bus/taxi drivers, conductors, baggage carriers, wheelbarrow pushers, touts, traffic guides and loaders in parks and other commercial areas, barmen, DJs, barmaids, waiters and bouncers, and bar, gym and restaurant workers.

The majority of the recipients were aged 30-54 years, most of whom were males (52%). 

GiveDirectly, which focuses on poverty alleviation and humanitarian relief via livelihood cash transfers, had wanted to participate in this program, but the government proposed that the money be sent to teachers at this time, as the interest by the organization was pitched when the economy was re-opening.

The eligible teachers will be selected by the gender ministry working with Kampala Capital City Authority, Chief Administrative Officers, Town Clerks of cities and municipalitie,s and heads of schools.