Parliament’s Committee on Education and Sports has directed the Ministry of Education and Sports to address the plight of more than 60 former staff of the Management Training and Advisory Centre (MTAC) who were affected following the institution’s merger.
MTAC was repealed under the Technical and Vocational Education and Training Act, 2025, and its functions transferred to Nakawa Vocational Training College. Under the law, MTAC’s assets, liabilities, students and certain staff were to be moved to Nakawa Vocational Training College as part of the transition.
However, during a sitting of the Education Committee with officials from the Ministry of Education, led by the Minister of State for Education and Sports (Sports), Hon. Peter Ogwang, on Tuesday, 17 February 2026, the chairperson, Hon. James Kubeketerya, said more than 60 former MTAC staff remain in limbo.
He revealed that he had received several complaints from former MTAC staff who claim they were left out during the transition process.
“MTAC had staff and when the merger occurred, these people were not absorbed. Why not just get a definite position on that?” he said.
Legislators tasked the ministry to urgently handle the grievances of the affected workers, following complaints that some employees were not absorbed into Nakawa Vocational Training College after the merger.
Loy Muhwezi, Commissioner for Technical and Vocational Education and Training at the ministry, explained that following approval of the merger, MTAC ceased to exist and that within the ministry’s structure only Nakawa Vocational Training College is recognised. She added that the process of finalising the takeover was progressing.
Her disclosure that some staff may have been recruited illegally shortly before the merger drew sharp criticism from Members of Parliament.
Hon. Emmanuel Ongiertho (FDC, Jonam County) faulted the ministry for weak supervision of the education sector, questioning how an institution could allegedly recruit staff irregularly without the ministry’s knowledge.
“I would request that at some point we get a definite period when you have agreed with your commissioners and the others that by this time we are not going to be having this kind of problem,” he said.
Hon. Silas Aogon (Independent, Kumi Municipality) called for investigations into both the allegedly irregular recruits and any ministry officials who may have failed to act.
Muhwezi requested additional time to present a comprehensive report on the transition from MTAC to Nakawa Vocational Training College, prompting Nathan Twesigye (NRM, Kashari South) to seek clarity on how far the process had progressed.
Minister Ogwang urged the affected staff to formally submit details of their complaints to enable government to examine their claims.
“I also want to really ask you to help me with the information regarding that person because I have just been asking the Permanent Secretary whether formally she has received any of these complaints from their grid and it seems the answer is negative,” Ogwang said.
“Like my Commissioner did say, if some of them were recruited illegally, how then does government take on that responsibility? It’s a question which will be addressed and discussed, because we cannot simply say we are going to do it,” he added.