At the start of the current financial year (2022-2023), President Yoweri Kaguta Tibuhaburwa Museveni’s government started paying secondary school teachers of science subjects fat salaries as a way of promoting a science-led economy. In fact all scientists, including health workers, had their salaries increased significantly.
Starting July 2022, the highest paid science teacher began pocketing Shs4m every month while arts secondary school teachers and all primary school teachers have kept earning below Shs1m despite protesting the salary disparities for the same level of qualifications as caused by the increment that favoured one side.
But officials in government have been left in shock after it emerged that some arts secondary school teachers have been paid as much as their science counterparts since July 2022 when the new year began and the salary increment took effect across the country. This revelation has left more questions than answers, with authorities wondering how this could have happened.
The most affected district is Bugweri where at least 13 arts teachers were under fire after it emerged that they were on the list of science teachers that were to receive Shs4m as salary instead of Shs800,000.
The 13 secondary school teachers have been identified as Hakim Isabirye, Elizabeth Hope Alupo and Aramanzani Magoola from Makuutu Seed Secondary School; James Ayembe from Naigombwa Seed Secondary School; Martin Kate and Charles Bituge from Bishop Willigers Secondary School; Janipher Mamayi Musoba and Ahmed Isabirye from Nkuutu Memorial Secondary School; Nelson Musenge, Eria Mudhungu, and Augustine Waiswa from Busembatia Secondary School as well as Derrick Alifuna of Bubinga High School and Kusain Mugabi of Bulunguli Secondary School.
A number of these arts teachers named in this payroll anomaly are said to be teachers of the Geography subject. It is not clear how and who edited these secondary school arts teachers’ pay slips to reflect a salary amount similar to the coveted one of their colleagues who teach science subjects.
It is against this background that the Bugweri District Chief Administrative Officer (Cao), Nelson Kirenda, has swung into action to get to the root of the matter by finding out how the alteration was done and who is responsible so that the anomaly can be rectified and those responsible punished in accordance with the laws of Uganda.
Cao Kirenda has now ordered the Bugweri District Police Commander (DPC) to investigate the matter with the urgency it deserves. In his letter dated October 21 which was written to the DPC, Kirenda, noted: “I have been notified by the Human Resource Office that while they were verifying the salary payment schedules which were received from the Ministry of Public Service for September 2022, they noticed a number of anomalies. These are related to some teachers who are not categorized as science teachers but were scheduled to receive payments for science teachers. I request you to urgently investigate the matter.”
The DPC is also expected to find out if these arts teachers have been getting juicy salaries meant for science teachers or not. If found that they were irregularly paid what was not meant for them, the money could be recovered.
The Chief Administrative Officer has also issued other orders. He has directed that the 13 affected teachers should file and send a document clearly showing the subjects the Education Service Commission (ESC) hired them to teach, their teaching load as well as the years they were appointed by the ESC. The CAO has also ordered that the salaries of the 13 secondary school arts teachers be withheld until their issues have been sorted.
It should be remembered that government increased salaries of science teachers, health workers and several other scientists. Museveni also increased the salaries of officials in the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP). (See Full Salary Structure Showing How Much Each Government Employee Category Earns Every Month HERE).
You can also see the List of 25 Most Highly Paid Government Employees Here
