You Will Never Regret Choosing Teaching: Commissioner Tells UNITE Learners

Gulu, Uganda Mr. Okiror Max, Assistant Commissioner TETD, has urged new students at UNITE Unyama Campus to embrace the teaching profession with pride and commitment as they begin their academic journey.

Speaking during the campus orientation, Mr. Okiror congratulated the learners upon their admission and thanked them for choosing to pursue teaching, describing it as a noble and rewarding career. He assured the students that their decision to join UNITE was “a choice they will never regret.”

He encouraged the students to take full advantage of the orientation week, which he likened to “the soup that sets the appetite for the main meal.” The entry module, he explained, is designed to prepare learners to become disciplined, self-driven, and professional teachers.

Mr. Okiror emphasized that teaching is a divine calling and reminded the students that all professions pass through the hands of teachers. He urged them to be proud of their profession and to approach their journey with optimism, resilience, and prayer. “This is a new beginning, and while challenges will come, with innovation, meaningful relationships, and strong networks, you will overcome,” he advised.

He also commended students who joined directly from Senior Six, noting that joining the teaching profession was a wise and competitive choice. Drawing on international examples, he highlighted that in some countries, teachers are among the best-paid professionals and must regularly renew their licenses through aptitude tests and continuous professional development a practice he predicted could soon be adopted in Uganda.

Addressing in-service teachers, He encouraged them to register early for their Teachers’ Information Management System (TIMS) certificates to avoid exploitation by unscrupulous service providers. He cautioned against rushing during recruitment drives, warning that fraudulent actors often take advantage of desperate teachers.

Sharing his personal journey, Mr. Okiror narrated how he rose through the ranks from a diploma teacher to completing his bachelor’s degree without formal employment, later pursuing a master’s degree, and eventually rising to his current position as Assistant Commissioner.

He concluded by wishing the students success in their studies and urged them to remain committed, disciplined, and prayerful as they prepare to become professional teachers who will shape the nation’s future.