MPs Back Striking Teachers on Equitable Salary Enhancement Demand

Lawmakers have backed the striking teachers in the country to hold a firm grip on their industrial action amid threats of job termination until the Government implements a uniform pay raise for all the teachers.

Recently, the Government announced salary enhancement for the science teachers effective in the new Financial Year 2022/2023 in disregard of the arts teachers. As a result, the announcement sparked an uproar from the Uganda National Teacher's Union - UNATU, an umbrella body for the teachers to declare a nationwide sit-down that began on Wednesday June 15th 2022 paralyzing learning in public schools.

Several MPs who spoke to URN expressed displeasure following the threats by the Government giving the striking teachers a two-day ultimatum till today Friday to call off their industrial action or risk their names being deleted from the payroll.

Buhweju County MP, Francis Mwijukye, said there should not be any form of division amongst people of the same profession in any way, describing the  Government's move as dictatorial, illegitimate and which will cause more damage to the learners in the country.

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Asuman Basalirwa, the Bugiri Municipality legislator also described the ongoing situation as a crisis that needs to the Government to negotiate with the aggrieved teachers or consider passing a supplementary budget arguing that what the teachers demanding is constitutional which is governed by the labour laws such as the Employment Act, 2006.

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Meanwhile, Joseph Ssewungu Gonzaga, the Kalungu County West representative said that the decision to pay science teachers in exclusion of Arts teachers is discriminatory and contravenes provision of Article 102b of the Constitution.

As a member of Parliamentary Committee on Education, Ssewungu who is a former teacher and Chairperson of UNATU disclosed that they never passed the salary enhancement to science teachers. He criticized President Museveni for being off-guard with the proposed pay raise which discriminates the teachers yet he (Museveni) is an adherent of history.

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On Wednesday, Catherine Bitarakwate Musingwiire, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Public Service, issued a threatening statement warning any teacher who would not resume work by Friday, 24 June 2022 “would be fired.”