Masaka City rolls out e-inspection in schools

The government has rolled out the electronic inspection system to monitor whatever happens at schools as well as curb absenteeism among teachers.

While handing over five Galaxy tablets with in-built monitoring tools to the inspectors of schools, Mr Ronald Katende, the Masaka Resident City Commissioner, said this will elevate the performance of teachers and learners. The digitised inspection is carried out using the phone which has been equipped with two tools; a teaching/learning observation and head teacher’s management tools.

“We understand there are some teachers who are always absent in some of our government schools, but with this tool, the problem will be eliminated,” he said during the official release of the 2022 Primary Leaving Examinations for Masaka City Schools on Tuesday.

The new e-inspection system also known as Integrated Inspection System (IIS) was first piloted in 1,000 government schools spread over 46 districts across the country in 2016.

The tools were installed in the electronic gadgets and once the inspector reaches a certain school and enters the code of the school, he gets to know everything that has been happening at the school and top officials at the ministry can also easily know.

“We are delighted for this government initiative because it is the first of its kind in Masaka,” Mr Katende added.

Under the old system, inspectors could send hard copies of reports to the district and later the Directorate of Education Standards to compile national school inspection reports.

This practice, according to Mr Steven Kakeeto, the Masaka City Education Officer, has been cumbersome with reports being delayed while others are concocted in education offices because inspectors do not reach the schools.

“This new innovation is going to help us analyse data consistently and generate reports as well as disseminate information on time,” he said.

Mr Kakeeto applauded a section of teachers who value their work –which has improved the academic performance of some schools in the area.

“We have maintained our third position, but we hope with this new inspection initiative, we will be the overall best in the country next year,” he said.

In the recently released 2022 PLE results, Masaka City of the 7,382 candidates who sat the exams, 3, 111 (50 per cent) obtained first grades, and 95 per cent of the candidate were graded and are eligible to join post-primary institutions.