Arts and Primary Teachers’ New Salary Figures: UNATU Speaks Out

As thousands of teachers across Uganda waited anxiously for clarity on their pay prospects under the newly approved national budget, the Uganda National Teachers’ Union (UNATU) has urged calm, caution and patience, saying more details on salary enhancements for arts and primary school teachers are expected in the coming weeks.

In an update to members issued from UNATU House in Kampala, the union’s secretary general, Filbert Baguma, acknowledged the mixture of excitement and uncertainty that has swept through the education sector following the reading of the 2026-27 national budget.

For years, teachers—particularly those in primary schools and those in secondary schools and BTVET institutions who teach humanities subjects—have been at the centre of one of Uganda’s most contentious public sector pay disputes.

While science teachers received substantial salary enhancements beginning in the 2022-23 financial year, arts teachers and many primary school educators remained on lower pay scales, triggering strikes, demonstrations and prolonged negotiations with government.

Baguma said teachers should avoid rushing to conclusions before official implementation guidelines are released by the Ministry of Public Service.

The budget has been read, he said in an update, but Parliament had already approved it in April with block figures.

Now, he continued, we await the Circular Standing Instructions for FY 2026/2027 from the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Public Service.

His message appeared designed to manage expectations among teachers eager to know exactly how much they will earn beginning next month.

Baguma also seemed to tell UNATU members half a loaf is better than nothing, as he argued that although the struggle for fair remuneration is not yet over, progress has been registered and continued advocacy remains necessary.

The statement comes against the backdrop of years of agitation by arts teachers who have argued that government created an unjust salary gap when it enhanced the salaries of science teachers while leaving humanities educators behind.

The disparity became a major national issue, with teachers’ unions warning that morale had collapsed in many schools. At one point, arts teachers launched industrial action and threatened prolonged strikes unless government addressed what they described as institutional discrimination.

According to figures that have circulated within government budget discussions, salary enhancements expected to take effect from July are projected to benefit more than 156,000 teachers nationwide, including primary school teachers, headteachers, deputy headteachers and arts teachers in secondary schools.

Proposed figures indicate that primary school headteachers could earn Shs1.5 million monthly, while deputy headteachers may earn Shs1.3 million. Classroom teachers at primary level are expected to earn at least Shs700,000 under the revised structure. Arts teachers in secondary schools are also expected to receive significant increases, although their earnings would still remain below those of science teachers.

The issue of pay equity has dominated Uganda’s education discourse for nearly four years.

UNATU has repeatedly argued that the quality of education cannot be separated from the welfare of teachers.

In his latest communication, Baguma returned to that argument.

Emphasizing that teaching conditions are learning conditions, he noted that improving teachers’ welfare ultimately benefits learners and strengthens the country’s education system.

He described teachers as the “drivers” of education, saying no meaningful education reforms can succeed if the people responsible for implementing them are neglected.

The union’s position mirrors concerns raised by education experts who have warned that prolonged salary inequalities have affected teacher motivation and classroom supervision in both primary and secondary schools.

Last year, UNATU rejected government proposals that would have increased humanities teachers’ salaries gradually over several years, insisting that the gap between arts and science teachers remained too wide. The union maintained that teachers performing similar duties should not experience such stark differences in pay.

In recent months, however, the union has increasingly adopted a strategy centred on dialogue and engagement rather than confrontation, even as it continues to press government to fulfil earlier commitments.

Beyond salaries, Baguma used his update to address several issues affecting teachers and public servants.

He reminded members that June 12 is observed globally as the World Day Against Child Labour and called on all stakeholders to ensure that school-age children remain in classrooms rather than workplaces.

His appeal comes as concerns persist over child labour in some parts of Uganda, where poverty continues to push children into informal work at the expense of education.

The UNATU chief also highlighted the introduction of the Public Service Pension Fund, which takes effect on July 1.

Under the new arrangement, government as employer will contribute 10 per cent of a worker’s gross salary each month, while employees will make their own contributions through a contributory scheme.

Baguma said teachers and other public servants need adequate sensitisation to understand how the pension system will operate.

The transition marks one of the most significant changes to Uganda’s public service retirement framework in years and is expected to affect hundreds of thousands of workers across government institutions.

At the same time, Baguma urged schools to remain vigilant in observing Ministry of Health standard operating procedures against Ebola, warning that public health threats should never be taken lightly.

He also raised concerns about delayed Universal Primary Education (UPE) capitation grants in some local governments, saying the failure to release funds has created difficulties for school administrators.

According to the union leader, accounting officers in the affected districts should move quickly to address the delays so that headteachers can effectively run schools.

In perhaps his most practical advice to members, Baguma warned teachers against signing documents without fully understanding them.

He specifically referenced life insurance and medical insurance agreements, noting that signatures create legally binding obligations.

“Read, understand and keep a copy,” he advised.

The warning extended to Uganda’s new Human Capital Management (HCM) salary payment system, which increasingly relies on digital and phone-based interactions.

Baguma urged teachers to exercise caution when handling passwords, PINs and electronic approvals, stressing that members should seek guidance whenever uncertain.

As Uganda prepares for the start of the new financial year, teachers remain focused on one question: whether the long-awaited salary enhancements will finally narrow the income gap that has divided the profession for years.

For now, UNATU’s message is one of cautious optimism.

The union believes progress has been made, but insists the struggle for better pay and improved working conditions is far from complete.

With implementation guidelines expected soon, teachers across the country will be watching closely to see whether the promises reflected in the national budget finally translate into bigger pay slips—and whether government has done enough to restore confidence among the educators who form the backbone of Uganda’s school system.

It should be remembered that when government increased the salaries of science teachers to Shs4m per month, some of them applied for early retirement so as to earn huge retirement packages, as reported Here and There.

You can see the proposed salary structure for arts teachers and primary teachers as expected to start on July 01 2026 Here.

See the current full salary structure for all government employee categories HERE.