Week three of teachers’ strike leaves pupils idle, officials warn of child labour, teenage pregnancies

Pallisa, Uganda: The continued teachers’ industrial action has entered its third week, sparking alarm among education officials and community leaders in Pallisa District who warn of severe social consequences, especially for vulnerable school-going children.

Pallisa District Probation Officer Suzan Apolot expressed deep concern over the growing number of idle children, warning that the prolonged absence of teachers from classrooms could result in a surge in teenage pregnancies and child labour.

“If pregnancy tests are conducted when schools reopen, every rural school will record two or three cases. With 76 schools in Pallisa, we could easily register more than 200 teenage pregnancies,” Apolot told DailyExpress, adding that boys have turned to bricklaying while girls roam villages collecting plastic bottles for sale.

However, the industrial action has divided public opinion. Some residents support the teachers’ strike, while others argue that educators should resume work despite government delays in addressing their grievances.

Yoweri Tukei, a businessman from Akisim Trading Centre, said teachers should not expect sympathy from communities that barely feel their impact. “MPs deserve higher salaries because of their social obligations and community support programmes. Teachers, on the other hand, should stop complaining. Many don’t even help their communities. We are ready to chase them from the houses we rent to them,” he remarked.

Others, like Moses Ochan, faulted the government for unfair treatment of teachers despite their heavy workloads. “When a taxi driver overloads, police issue an express charge. But a teacher who teaches 200 pupils instead of 55 goes unpunished. The government is being unfair,” Ochan said.

Meanwhile, Mr. Moses Otimong, the Jinja City Town Clerk, revealed in an interview with DailyExpress at Anna Resort in Pallisa that he has directed the collection of attendance data from all government schools to track teacher presence and compliance with the Ministry of Public Service directive.

Otimong noted that as accounting officers answerable to Minister Wilson Muruli Mukasa, Chief Administrative Officers and Town Clerks must ensure the directive is implemented. “Teachers must accept that there is no money and return to work. Those not subscribed to UNATU may face legal challenges since their union will only defend its members,” Otimong warned.

In a separate interview, Johnson Otimong, the Secretary for Publicity, lamented the poor societal attitude towards teachers, saying it undermines national development. “Countries with fast-growing economies respect their teachers. In China, teachers are viewed as messengers of wisdom and are highly esteemed by students and society alike,” he said.