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Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Non-teaching staff in the twelve public universities have issued a stern warning to university leadership against any attempt to divert government-allocated funds meant for salary harmonization.
The warning comes from the Public Universities Non-Teaching Staff Executives’ Forum (PUNTSEF), which has expressed concerns over reports suggesting that some individuals in several universities are proposing to utilize the funds for recruitment purposes.
Jackson Betihamah, the PUNTSEF chairperson, said that such a move is contrary to the government’s original intent in allocating the funds. According to the secretary, the government aimed to harmonize staff salaries, not to allocate the funds for recruitment.
The sentiments were voiced during a recent meeting convened to discuss the government’s allocation of funds and related issues.
In addition to concerns of reallocating the funds, Betihamah emphasized that when the harmonization process is initiated, individuals on the same pay scales should receive equal pay across the board, and all scales below PU15 should be abolished.
On April 3, the Ministry of Public Service issued a communication stating that a total of Shs61,137,083,690 had been allocated in the FY2024/2025 Budget for salary harmonization.
The breakdown reveals that Makerere University Business School will receive the largest allocation at Shs14 billion, followed by Makerere University with Shs12.6 billion. Other beneficiaries include Muni University (Shs6.3 billion), Kyambogo University (Shs6 billion), Lira (Shs4.7 billion), and Busitema (Shs3.9 billion), among others.
Currently, significant disparities exist among individuals on the same scale. For example, at Kyambogo University, teaching staff on the PU3 scale in the science category receive 15.6 million shillings, whereas their non-teaching counterparts receive 10.6 million shillings. Similarly, non-science lecturers on the PU6.1 scale receive 8.2 million shillings, while senior non-teaching administrators on the same scale receive 7.1 million shillings.
Previously, all individuals on the same scale received equal pay through a unified-single spine payroll system. This was established following a 1982 report by Report of the Public Service Salaries Review Commission which recognized the equal importance of both teaching and non-teaching roles at their respective levels. It was noted that individuals on the same scale often possess similar qualifications.
Bruce Twesigye, the PUNTSEF General Secretary, stated that when university staff began advocating for a pay raise, the government assured them that before implementing any changes, there would be an audit of the payroll, a validation process, and a harmonization of salaries.
Since 2015, both teaching and non-teaching staff in public universities have been locked in a contentious argument with their respective administrations over salary harmonization- this at time turned into strikes. The staff argued that it’s unjust for individuals with the same qualifications to receive disparate salaries, while some earn half of what their counterparts in other public universities do.
This argument reached a crescendo at Makerere University, where a significant portion of the staff receives lower salaries compared to their counterparts in similar positions at other institutions. Thomas Tayebwa, chair of the committee tasked with investigating the matter, revealed that Makerere University required 23 billion Shillings to bring its staff salaries in line with those of other public universities.
Meanwhile, in response to communication regarding the allocation of harmonization funds, academic staff members, particularly those at Makerere University, have decided to temporarily halt their strike and await the budget reading.
During a meeting, the Makerere University Academic Staff Association (MUASA) passed a resolution expressing their gratitude to the University management, Council, and government for their commitment to salary harmonization.
The staff unanimously agreed to suspend their strike until the national budget is read. MUASA also stated that they would reconvene a day after the budget reading to confirm whether the commitment to salary harmonization was included in the budget for the 2024/25 financial year. However, they noted that no further notice for industrial action would be issued if the budget did not allocate these funds.
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