MPs in Uganda’s Parliament have told President Museveni’s government to increase arts teachers’ salaries to the level of their science counterparts.
In their reaction to a statement by Public Service Minister Wilson Muruli Mukasa regarding industrial actions by government employees as well as salary disparities in the teaching profession, MPs across the political divide called on government to find a way of increasing salaries of education officers who teach humanities.
Here are some of the reactions from the MPs as captured during a sitting on July 06, 2022:
It is wrong in this country to discriminate teachers based on whether they are scientists or artists. That strategy is wrong. — Abed Bwanika (Kimaanya Kabonera – NUP)
Clearly, not all of us are going to be scientists. Our education system should be able to enhance the gifts that our children have. We need to develop their talent and put it at a level where they can be competitive. — James Jimmy Michael Akena Obote (Lira City East Division – UPC)
Since we have not yet started implementing this [salary structure], let us put to halt this decision until it has been resolved. — Lucy Akello (Amuru District Woman MP – FDC)
I don’t know if gov’t is aware of this danger. You will realize that most students are not going to perform well to qualify for sciences courses in the university next year because some A-level combinations have some arts subjects. — Prossy Akampurira Mbabazi (Rubanda District Woman MP – NRM)
How do you pay science teachers more money than the arts teachers when we do not have laboratories and equipment? — Solomon Silwany (Bukooli Central – NRM)
Kampala district alone has 25 Government secondary schools and 630 private secondary schools. Once you want to promote sciences then you must cater for all schools in the country. There is no logic to cater for sciences in only gov’t schools. — Joseph Gonzaga Ssewungu (Kalungu West – NUP)
Teachers are not teaching. They will not teach until their grievances have been addressed. — Christine Apolot (Kumi district Woman MP – NRM)
Worst performing subjects in rural schools are sciences and the problem is the laboratories and half-baked teachers. We should motivate all the teachers — Christine Akello (Erute County North – NRM)
Government cannot violate the rights of workers and expect NGOs to act otherwise. Teachers are living miserably, they cannot afford to take their children to school and yet they are teaching other children. Parliament should take a serious decision — Agnes Kunihira (Workers Representative)
More MPs proposed that the Shs95bn meant for the enhancement of the science teachers be divided among both arts and science teachers. The Pearl Times recently reported on how much each of the government-employed teachers would have his her salaries increased by if the Shs95bn was shared among all the teachers. (Read Story Here).
For more on what Minister Muruli Mukasa gave as government’s official position on the issue of arts teachers’ salary increment, read our earlier Story Here.
MORE STORIES ON UNATU ENDING STRIKE
Arts Teachers’ Strike Suspended after UNATU Meeting with Museveni
MORE STORIES ON OUR COVERAGE OF ARTS TEACHERS’ STRIKE & SALARY INCREMENT CIRCUS
MORE ON SCIENCE TEACHERS’ SALARY INCREMENT
MORE ON SALARY INCREMENT CIRCUS
In order to improve service delivery and end the challenge of strikes over low pay, President Museveni’s government has proposed huge salary increments for teachers, doctors and other employees starting July 2022. (Read Story Here)
The proposed increments have left many people wondering if government will really fulfill this pledge and increase salaries by very high amounts.
For example, opposition leader Dr Kizza Besigye has argued that the promise of salary increment is just ‘another lie.’ (Read Story Here).
Finance Minister Matia Kasaija recently said the money for increasing teachers’, doctors’ and other civil servants’ salaries was available. (Read Story Here).
In August 2021, cabinet approved salary increment for teachers, doctors and other health workers. (Read Story Here).
See the salary structure that had been proposed for the current financial year here.
UPDATED LIST: See Salary Structure for All Government Workers
Meanwhile, an NRM MP has angered teachers after telling them they are too poor to go on strike. (Read Story Here).
