The Vicar General of Kasana-Luweero Catholic Diocese, Msgr. Vincent De Paul Mukiibi, has encouraged unmarried teachers to consider marriage, saying some parents have raised concerns about leaving their children under the supervision of single educators.
Speaking during the Diocesan Teachers’ Day celebrations at Luwero Teachers’ SACCO Gardens in Luwero Town Council on Friday, Msgr. Mukiibi said he had received complaints from parents who felt uneasy when they learned that teachers responsible for their children were not married.
According to the cleric, some parents associate unmarried teachers with a higher risk of child abuse, a perception that has created anxiety among families whose children spend much of their time under the care of educators.
Msgr. Mukiibi urged teachers who are single to consider settling down in marriage and advised those involved in premarital relationships to formalize their unions through holy matrimony.
He also reminded teachers that the schools where they serve are institutions founded and supported by the diocese and called upon them to take an active role in diocesan programmes and activities.
Beyond family life, Msgr. Mukiibi emphasized the importance of maintaining good health. He encouraged teachers to adopt healthy lifestyles, avoid excessive alcohol consumption, and take preventive measures against non-communicable diseases such as diabetes and hypertension through proper nutrition and regular exercise.
His remarks echoed concerns previously raised by church leaders in the region regarding child protection. In 2012, the then Bishop of Kasana-Luweero Diocese, now Archbishop of Kampala, Paul Ssemogerere, publicly expressed concern about cases of child sexual abuse reported in Catholic Church-founded schools.
At the time, Bishop Ssemogerere revealed that several incidents were allegedly going unreported. He spoke out after receiving information that a teacher at St. Augustine Primary School in Zirobwe Sub-county, Luwero District, had allegedly sexually abused a Primary Six pupil.
The bishop noted that the case was the fourth of its kind brought to his attention and called on the Ministry of Education and the Police to jointly investigate the prevalence of child sexual abuse in schools across Luwero.
Kasana-Luweero Diocese serves the districts of Luwero, Nakaseke and Nakasongola and oversees more than 150 educational institutions ranging from nursery schools to tertiary establishments.
To strengthen child protection measures, Archbishop Ssemogerere also advocated for stricter screening and background checks for teachers seeking employment in Catholic Church-founded schools, arguing that educators entrusted with the welfare of learners must demonstrate high moral integrity.
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