The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Uganda National Teachers’ Union (UNATU) has resolved to continue with its industrial action despite calls for reconsideration at a meeting with President Yoweri Museveni.
Last week, UNATU announced an indefinite strike under the slogan “All Teachers Matter” in their quest for pay equity and harmonization among teachers of various subjects, support workers, and school administrators at all levels of education.
The strike was sparked off by a government decision to increase the pay for science teachers nearly by 300 per cent. The increment saw graduate science and grade V teachers’ pay pushed to four million and 3 million Shillings up from 1.1 million and 796,000 Shillings respectively.
With over 120,000 teachers refusing to attend lessons in the past three working days, the government hurriedly called for dialogue and a meeting was arranged to find a quick solution. At first, the teachers’ union was scheduled to meet with Education Minister Janet Kataha Museveni on Friday, but the meeting was cancelled. However, on Saturday, UNATU leadership met with President Museveni in the presence of Cabinet Ministers and senior government officials to discuss the matter at hand.
“After hours of discussion, the union leaders held their ground and insisted that they will not return to classes unless when their concerns are addressed,” an official who attended the meeting told Uganda Radio Network.
Filbert Baguma, the Union’s Secretary-General, also confirmed the development noting that all along, the government has been underrating their concerns thinking that they will be coerced. He rather noted this time around they are determined and looking for results.
Baguma added that during the meeting they reminded the president that the government’s move to increase payment of a section of teachers was in breach of the provisions of the Collective Bargaining Agreement-CBA that was signed with the government in 2018.
After referring to this agreement and steadfastly holding their stand, the president is said to have instructed officials from the public service, finance, and education to study the proposed payment plan and ensure that the disparity is corrected.
Baguma added that the resumption of teaching and learning is currently contingent on how quickly the review process is completed, whether the outcome is satisfactory, and whether the review process addresses the issue of equitable salary increases for all teachers across the board.
Baguma further noted that no timeframe has been set and that it is up to the government to expedite the process so that the damage caused by the striking teachers is minimized.
While the government attempts to settle the standoff, UNATU has already proposed a salary raise plan for all teachers and other staff.
According to said draft, secondary school headteachers should receive shillings 10 million, and primary school headteachers shillings 4.5 million. UNATU is also pushing the government to pay shillings 4.8 million to graduate science teachers and shillings 4.5 million 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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EDUCATION YEGWAANGA ELAGAWA??? FENGA ABAZADDE TUKYALIMUTAWANA NABAANA ABONONOKE MU COVID19, ABAMU BAYINA EMBUTO NAABAMU BAAYINGIRA MUBUFUMBO NGA TEBANEETUUKA NGA ESUBI LYEMISOMO LIBAWEDEMU, EKYOTWAAKIGUMIRA KUBANGA KYAALI KYAANSI YONA, KWERI ABASOMESA MUBEERE NEEKISA ERI EGWAANGA, MUKAANYE NEGAVUMENT ELA TEMUKALUBA NYO, KUBA BWEMUKARUBIZA GOVERNMENT KILAGA NTI OMUZADDE AJA KUTANDIKA KUSASURA SENTE NYINJIKO KUSOMERO. MWEBALENYO
Muonge is vary right govn’t ekirowozeko.
I think even a suggestion of a primary teacher’s salary to a mere 1.35m is too little given the Uganda money economy now. Why that big gap between the secondary colleagues and yet I thought these are the people who do the donkey work of modelling the child. Surely, look at that infant class teacher of P1-3 who trains those fingers and hand of yours to handle a pen that you are now using to sign those discriminatory policies! If it was not that so called P1 teacher, where would you be, surely? I, therefore, suggest that, the colleagues in the primary sections all be elevated to almost same salary scale like the ones in secondary section. Without these P1 teachers, all of you in those offices would not be able to write and read. Bravo colleagues in the primary section!
Thanks for the best point. P1 p2 p3 teachers get little money, m.o.e should think about that, its not easy to train those infants..
Great son of the linage of TEACHERS .God bless you.
Primary teachers should be paid 2.5m because most of the work of modelling children are done by them.
Let the trs be given money coz de gov’t has got a lot of money 2 Easter e.g.. de 40 millions to de mps.
There’s nothing better than change yet every time we chant “no change! no change! ….” Everything would have changed and for the better. Fellow teachers, let’s begin teaching the learners the true benefits of change even if it’s not a topic in the syllabus. Rulership by dividing will kill our country for regret.
The government should balance her things and increase the salary of both government workers then the thing will be settled down.
The government should stop undermining teachers coz those people play a big role in the country mostly primary
teachers.
Thanks to however is supporting the primary teacher’s salary enhancement. Primary teachers do a lot .They deserve higher payment.
All those stomach curves were not created by God.That’s y u don’t want 2 let others be in their possession.Plz GOD come down &show equality n Uganda bz wen ur son came a cross fishermen, all got equal fish n the net!!
There’s no president or any other leader without a teacher. Teachers have been underlooked by many people in the society. for long. Teachers it is your time to show your importance in the development of this country
Government should think of the foundation of education otherwise we may not have lawyers,Religious leaders.
Mzee must be wise.Is he not seeing the current situation of hunger? He is purposely increasing commodity price day and night,does he want people to die? Collaegue teacher never relax with the industrial action.Mind less of relatives because with hunger you cannot stand before the relatives. TEACHERS OYEEEEE
The punishment to those who undermine trs is DEATH.(a fool is he who forgets of his mother).It is hopeless to live in this world and let majority suffer,hell awaits u all those who fool trs.
Really imagine a primary teacher being considered for only 1.35 and a primary teacher is the foundation coz with out a primary teacher a secondary teacher can not have what to teach now they say science teachers no primary teacher entered the college when he didn’t pass science subjects so I appeal to the government to consider all teachers important to avoid future strikes again
This very very critical and needs to be handled with atmost urgency it deserves other we expect poor results this year.
Today is teachers, tomorrow is the other section of the civil servants who are not scientists.
Government why not review this as awhile instead of handling one by one as they come. The effect is majorly realized by some of us whose children are public schools. Those in big offices their children are in private and even schools abroad that’s why are not bothered at all.
So sad but let get to the basics. Let all striking say ‘for God and my country’ let those celebrating sa for God and my country and let the president say for God and my country let the learners say for God and my country and let all of us say Oh Uganda my God uphold thee. And Jesus will ask, what lack are yes yet….
Go sell what you have and give to the poor
I’m wondering of the teachers motto “Because we are the nation is” Is this responding to the current situation in our country trs “Muremereho!!
Ugandans kyetuyina okujukila kili kimu. Parliament, bino yebikurira so si president, kumikono 3 gya GOU. Sikirungi okuvunana president munsoonga ezitandikidde mu parliament, president simubi nedda.. Parliament yekurira ebikwaata kumisaala jabakozi begwaanga, era abavunana president nze silaba kyemumwaagaza, mpozi ensonga zokusalawo emisaala zikulilwe entebe ya president. Kubanga kisuse eeeee.eee. Ba mp bafuna sente nyingi nyo nyo. Bandibanga bagala kumalawo egwaanga nebelabira ababayigiriza a.e.i.o.u. Mweedeko bakulu egwanga mulimalawo. Mutandise okuvumya president wegwaanga mbu ye asibye emisomo gyegwaanga. Omuzadde nomusomi bakyaawe H.E.YKMUSEVENI Kurwentegeka zamwe??? Mutereezemu.
Let the Trs from parliament come and teach!we are tired of dictatorship…