Govt agrees to meet teachers as strike paralyses learning

KAMPALA, UGANDA: Government of Uganda has called for an urgent meeting with the leaders of arts teachers for a meeting following their strike over discriminatory salary that has paralysed learning in government schools countrywide.

The Uganda National Teachers’ Union (UNATU) in a June 11 letter signed by the Union’s general secretary, Filbert Baguma announced that effective Wednesday, June 15, all teachers countrywide had agreed to lay down tools over what they described as proposed discriminatory salary enhancement.

Baguma asked the government to implement the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) without discrimination.
“A notification was given to government on May 23 expressing our intention to resume our industrial action if they insist on implementing a discriminatory salary enhancement for teachers as opposed to honouring commitments made in our CBA signed on June 22, 2018. Regrettably to date, no positive response has been received,” the UNATU leaders said in the statement.

However, while addressing the media on Wednesday, Public Service minister Wilson Muruli Mukasa said Minister Janet Museveni will meet members of the Uganda National Teachers Union on Friday, June 17, 2022, to resolve the issue.

“We are therefore asking striking teachers to return to class and teach our innocent children as the government works on their salary enhancement,” Muruuli said adding that the planned salary enhancement of all teachers is on the course subject to the availability of resources.

Learning Paralyzed Countrywide

The strike that kicked off yesterday has paralysed learning in government schools across the country.

At Spire Road Primary School in Jinja City, pupils were yesterday seen going back home after teachers failed to conduct classes due to the countrywide teachers’ strike.

In Tororo, almost all primary schools have closed, and learners have been sent back home. The situation was more of the same in government secondary schools. Even where students and teachers turned up, not much was happening.

In Mbarara city, several teachers have not reported for duty. While on a fact-finding mission, the city’s Resident Commissioner, Col. James Mwesigye, was notified by school heads of the low turnout of teachers, especially those on the government payroll.

Teachers of St Joseph Primary School Kiyimbwe in Masaka District have pictured this morning playing cards during class time.

Pupils of Moyo Girls Primary School in Moyo District were seen walking back home this morning after they were told that there were no classes because teachers were on strike over salary increment.