The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Minister of Education Janet Museveni has invited Uganda National Teacher’s Union-UNATU officials for dialogue.
UNATU declared a nationwide strike at all levels starting Wednesday in their quest for equality and harmonization of salary enhancement among teachers of different subjects, support staff, and school administrators.
Unlike previous incidents where the government has been threatening to sack striking civil servants, this time around the Ministry of education seems to be using soft language given the magnitude of the problem.
Addressing journalists at the media centre on Wednesday, Wilson Muruli Mukasa, the Minister for Public Service said that the minister will meet UNATU officials on Friday.
Mukasa implored the teachers to return to class because the government is committed to increasing their salaries.
On Tuesday, the Ministry of Education and Sports appealed to UNATU to suspend the industrial action.
Filbert Baguma, the General Secretary UNATU, said that they have received an invitation for the meeting, but will not call off the strike until their demands are met.
This is not the first time teachers under UNATU have laid down their tools.
In 2011, the union organized a sit-down strike requesting a 100 percent salary increment. Other requests included an increase in the science allowance, an increase in capitation awards, and the delivery of data on time.
Following the strike, the then Prime Minister Amama Mbabazi pledged a progressive increase over three financial years. That year, the government committed to meet half of the requests but failed to lead to additional industrial action.
Later, the government pledged a three-phased salary rise for the next three fiscal years. 15 percent, 20 percent, and 15 percent would be the three installments of the increase.
UNATU is also pushing the government to pay 4.8 million Shillings to graduate science teachers and 4.5 million shillings to those teaching arts and humanities. They are also advocating for a Shillings 1.35 million minimum wage for primary school teachers.
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It is high time government concider teachers cry over salary increment such that the country remains quiet and keep growing education wise as well as security and health. There is rapid rise of commodities price that the poor teachers (sorry to write this) are battling with silently making them go for multiples loans. The negative result is that they become stressed up that cannot make them perform though there are several innovations in the education system. COVID-19 left it in the hands of industrial action! Oh! Uganda. What will my children be tommorrow without background of formal education? I suggest teachers salary be increased according to grade not division of subject combination. €rying 4 pay change for abetter result.
The strike looks to be the only laguage that government of Uganda listens.
It’s quite abad indication of joupardise in country laboures to among the civil servants.
Hw can a whole president call trs greed! That game of making trs poor shd end now. Trs are tired of miltary govt. One day GOD wil be on side of de poor justice shal prevail
The government has splitted the staff room for Science and Art teachers. As some have started making fans like “we are now going to provide loans for art teachers” This statement alone🤭
“A cock that swallows a needle cannot live longer to praise itself” when a man is disliked in the community, he Is always accused of raising dust even when he jumps into a pool of mad our leaders don’t be compromised and betray the down to earth teacher solidarity forever
:let the gvement quikly cme in &gve teachers atelist 3quatres of that monye.&let the teachers go 2 work.we do need recver the space being dmged by COVID 19 pndemic.
Despite the fact that ,all services should be rendered effectively in the education sector , appreciating afew with a payrise is unfair.It would have been better if education levels are considered . With the increasing rate of commodity prices how are the unconsidered expected to survive?