Minister Muruli Mukasa has told arts teachers that their salaries will be enhanced in 2026, The Pearl Times has learnt.
This publication can confirm that the ministry discussed with leaders or representatives of Uganda Professional Humanities Teachers Union (UPHTU) led by Teopista Akello, the acting president.
Minister Muruli Mukasa said the discussion was “very very fruitful” and done in “a very calm atmosphere.”
He further noted that the issues discussed besides salary enhancement for arts teachers included accommodation, medical, equipment and facilitation to do their work.
Muruli Mukasa said the UPHTU leaders had during the meeting been categorical in demanding that the salary enhancement be effected in the next financial year (FY2025-2026) which starts in July 2025 or they lay down their tools.
The minister said the two parties had “discussed this issue candidly.”
The Ministry of Public Service told the leaders and representatives of Uganda Professional Humanities Teachers Union that government was committed to raising their salaries as well as the pay for other government employees who have not had their pay enhanced since 2014 — including administrative staff, common cadre staff— as it has been doing for others in a phased manner.
Muruli Mukasa said government is “committed to focus” on enhancement of salaries of arts teachers and other government employees but “not in the next financial year.”
Reason? The public service minister said “it’s now a bit late” since “priorities have been drawn” and “appropriation of the budget has been done by Parliament.”
Muruli Mukasa promised that the arts teachers will have their salaries enhanced in the 2026-2027 financial year which will start in July 2026.
Akello thanked the minister for meeting UPHTU leaders on May 30, 2025.
Akello has also revealed that UPHTU leaders also met Kedrace Turyagyenda, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education and Sports, who was in company of other officials from the ministry on May 29, a day before the meeting with Muruli Mukasa.
Akello said they had had “good engagements and discussions” with the permanent secretary and her team.
It should be remembered that the arts teachers have threatened to start their strike this week if government does not find money to increase their salaries to Shs4m starting July 2025, as reported Here.
It should be remembered that Museveni government has said there is no money to increase arts teachers’ salaries as things stand now, with Museveni telling arts teachers that ‘Shakespeare’s plays do not heal dying patients.’ (See Details Here, and There).
The Pearl Times has also reported about an alleged plan by Museveni’s government to cut the salaries of science teachers after failing to increase salaries of their arts counterparts. (See Details Here and There).
You can see the full salary structure showing how much each government employee category earns every month, as well as the list of Uganda’s most highly paid government employees Here and There.
LATEST UPDATE: We Want Money, Not Stories! Arts Teachers Insist after Public Service Minister Promised Salary Increment in 2026
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