Arts teachers in distress display their plight
HABARI DAILY I Kampala, Uganda I Following the expiry of the 90-day deadline they gave to Government to address the sticky issues around their remuneration, Arts teachers who mainly teach humanity subjects downed their tools and have vowed not to return to duty.
The Arts teachers in Uganda earn While graduate science teachers currently earn up to UGX 4 million per month following the 2022/23 fiscal reforms, equally qualified graduate arts teachers continue to receive a paltry UGX 1.08 million, with diploma holders earning even less at approximately Shs 795,000.
Godfrey Osenda, the National Chairman of Uganda Professional Humanities SACCO, said over 10,000 out of 17,000 Government-employed arts teachers have resolved to abscond from work until Government irons out their concerns.
He said while their colleague science graduate teachers earn a net pay of Shs2.8 million and Assistant Education Officers earn a net pay of Shs1.6 million, humanities teachers earn less than Shs800,000 and Shs600,000 for education officers and assistant Education Officers respectively.
“To make matters worse, we lack medical insurance and cannot obtain a State Burial. We have been discriminated against in all areas of the economy, including poverty alleviation initiatives,” said Osenda.
However, when Habari Daily made a survey around Government schools, classes were proceeding normally, an indication of lack of solidarity among the teachers.
“Let them lobby for themselves. Government’s appreciation of our services made them hike our salaries. At the moment, we do not have a reason to join in the demonstration,” said a science teacher at Mengo Senior School, on condition of anonymity.
Salary reforms
Other teachers however called for salary reforms adding that arts teachers remain grossly undercompensated, overworked, and underappreciated.
“This has led to low morale and resentment within schools. In some instances, science and arts teachers occupy separate staffrooms, and students openly demean humanities subjects,” said Jerome Ssekatawa, a consultant in the education industry.
The affected teachers have appealed to President Yoweri Museveni, the Ministry of Public Service, the Ministry of Education and Sports, and the Parliament of Uganda to intervene and rectify this inequitable salary structure.
In its 2024 report, the Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) pointed out that disparities in the teacher’s salary structure contravene principles of equitable public service and urged the formation of a Salary Review Commission to look into such matters.
