Teachers advised to invest SACCO loans in manageable projects

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Teachers have been urged to use their loans from the Uganda Liberal Teachers Union (ULITU) Savings and Credit Cooperative Organisation (SACCO) to create manageable projects they can supervise.

John Murungi, the manager of ULITU SACCO, advised that teachers should establish projects they can easily monitor to ensure their loans are beneficial.

“Set up projects you can easily supervise besides teaching. We teachers should shift away from looking at coaching as the only source to supplement your income,” Murungi said.

He made the remarks during the training of 52 teachers before they were approved to be awarded loans by ULITU SACCO at Bulindo sub-county in Wakiso district on August 15, 2025.

“With the commitments you have made, ensure to pay your loans on time so that you can get top-ups to expand the growth of your projects. Please adhere to your intended purpose of your loan request,” he added.

The Chairperson of ULITU, Andrew Kwete, called on teachers to change the image of teachers at the grassroots, who are often regarded as the poorest among public service employees.

Kwete criticised retailers who profit from teachers by offering loan facilities that are monitored each month. He revealed that SACCO funds will now be sent directly into banks, where they will be debited from teachers’ accounts, a faster and more transparent system than issuing cheques.

He further explained that, in the coming weeks, officials will travel upcountry to assess the projects of members who were the first to borrow, to understand the types of ventures they have invested in.

“So far in the districts of Kayunga and Mukono, members’ projects in agriculture, poultry and piggery are very promising. We expect a shift in teachers’ incomes,” Kwete said.

He noted that delays in disbursing loans were caused by cases of embezzlement, which are now before the courts of law.

Jackson Erima, the secretary general of ULITU, said this was the third group of members to receive loans after undergoing financial literacy training.

“They have gone away empowered in terms of what they are going to do, and their money will be sent to their accounts by Monday. I am very happy for being patient since we received the money last year,” he said.

Erima added that they would like to track how the money is being invested, since it was a grant from President Museveni to boost teachers’ incomes in addition to their salaries.

“The President will be happy to know that the money has started benefiting the teachers, and we expect more once we stabilise,” he said.

He explained that the funding would transform teachers’ lives in three ways: boosting incomes to supplement salaries, reducing dependence on coaching during holidays, and allowing teachers to focus on rest and project management, especially in urban settings.

Fred Wafula, a teacher at Kamuli UMEA Primary School in Kayunga district, said he was grateful to receive funds and planned to invest in poultry farming to help cover his children’s school fees.

“We thank President Museveni for supporting the teachers, and if there is more we welcome it to improve our incomes,” Wafula said.

Moses Luni of Masa Aen Revival Primary School in Kayunga described the training as timely, noting that he had applied for a loan of sh22.7m, which he intended to invest in piggery.

He said piggery generates profits in a shorter time than many other ventures and is easy to supervise.