OPINION: Uganda’s unpopular salary policy massacres our education system in broad daylight

By Mubiru George

It’s neither a speculation nor a promise but a reality that science trs’ salaries were enhanced by 300% against the majority of their arts counterparts & primary teachers effective 2022/2023 financial year. Similarly, there is no indication to enhance it in the 2023/2023 FY. This is afloresc death of the country’s next generation.

After their failed strike, primary and arts teachers have what I call a suicidal plan B & honestly, they have started implementing it. This ranges from reducing their time and involvement in school activities equivalent to what they get visa Viz science trs, less involvement in research to giving learners wrong content. This is a tactical plan B of trs whose impact cannot be felt now by parents, government and it’s sycophants but will be hugely felt after two years from now.

The president has lost vision of the education sector and the next generation is simply ruined, lost and wasted. The bitter truth is, expect 20-30% to be done in purely govt UPE and USE schools and more arts and primary trs will dedicate 70 % of the time they are meant to be in schools to other ventures in a bid to compensate.

Much as the headteacher s have been called to kyankwanzi for retreats on numerous occasions, it’s like playing “fidle to the sheep”. They have remained demoralized too. They are more aggrieved cz their subjects are earning more than them. Schools are very difficult to administer and majority of the school heads have focused on embezzling school funds & charging unnecessary fares.

Likewise to inspectors, DEOs, Town clerks and CAOs. This salary disparity, particularly in the education sector, is a clear cut demotivation of personnel.

Secondly, the president has given a boost to private schools and killed his own. Most Teachers without doubt have taken their children to private and non UPE/USE schools and massacre the public schools with out fear or favor.

I’m pretty sure even the sycophants who support the president on this un informed jealous move don’t take their children to public UPE/USE schools.

President M7, some of us have supported you for long, but with such selfish and parachoal intensions for our children, we can no longer bear with you. This is the last straw you have stabbed in your own back.

The writer is a Jinja based researcher, Senior teacher and NRM mobiliser