Science teachers strike as new term opens

KAMPALA – As the new term opened on Monday, Science teachers in all government-aided secondary schools across the country participated in a nationwide industrial action as the they protest the failure of the government to effect salary enhancements as promised in the last financial year.

This comes after Uganda Professional Science Teachers’ Union (UPSTU) over the weekend announced a sit-down strike meant to push the ministries of Education and Public Service to include salary enhancement in the next financial year, whose budget estimates are in the final stages of being approved by parliament.

This morning, this reporter toured a couple of secondary schools in Kampala and Wakiso districts as the new terms opened and established that there was a somber mood among the teaching staff as well as the students that had reported for lessons.

At Old Kampala Secondary School, there was not a single science teacher. Those present [arts teachers] said they were observing the situation as their science counterparts react to the announced strike.

At Mackay College, in Lubaga Division, the Head Teacher Mary Kalyango intimated that all staff were expected to report for duty as per the Ministry of Education guidelines and contrary to that, one ought to explain.

“We are expecting all our staff to report for duty unless someone will have a strong reason that explains their absence, but as a school, we are working normally,” she said.

At Entebbe Senior Secondary School, students were reporting normally and expected no shocks at school. The situation indeed was normal at the school, though Gerald Busuulwa, a teacher who was reportedly on duty during the week was absent.

Another teacher who preferred to speak on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisal alleged that teacher Busuulwa’s absence from school was linked to the strike. Busuulwa is a teacher of Mathematics and Physics at the same school.

The teacher also said that all science teachers came around early in the morning, but took leave unexpectedly. Additional sources say many secondary school students did not have science lessons today as the teachers were away. This is despite the fact that science subjects are compulsory.

The school administrator declined to talk to the media, arguing that government ought to fulfill its promises to the teachers.

Meanwhile, at Mengo Senior Secondary School in Kampala, all teachers had reported for duty at least according to the roaster seen by this journalist.

UPSTU announced that they would lay down their tools starting May 9, 2022, demanding a salary increment effective July 2022 when the new budget begins to operate.

The Union has at least 16 sub-regions countrywide, which all resolved in their different executive meetings to lay down tools until the ministry of Public Service enhances their salaries.

There were reportedly several negotiations between the union and the Ministry of Public Service led by Minister Muruuli Mukasa, attended by trade unions including Central Organisation of Free Trade Unions (Coftu) and the National Organization of Trade Unions (Notu) and Members of Parliament, but nothing concrete came out of the negotiations.

UPSTU reported that during their meetings with the Ministry of Public Service, the Minister communicated proposals, which lacked merit and commitment from the central government.

In the Minister’s proposals, government had considered paying at least Shs 2.2 million to a graduate science teacher, which was lower than Shs 4mln promised earlier by President Yoweri Museveni. The proposal further states that government would remunerate a diploma holder science teacher with at least Shs 1.4mln.

Meanwhile, the science teachers say government was non-committal on its pledges and that they would easily be pushed to subsequent financial years, as has always been the case.

When contacted, Kalungu East MP Gonzaga Ssewungu, a renowned advocate for teachers’ rights, said, “It is unfair to highly remunerate science teachers yet their arts counterparts are not considered.”

Ssewungu cautioned government against the move of enhancing salaries for science teachers at the expense of their counterparts who teach arts, saying it would cause financial and social disparities in the sector and discourage others.

“What are you trying to show us? Is it that those who teach arts are useless and so unwanted?” He wondered.

Science teachers through their union last year accused officials in the ministries of Education, Public Service, and Finance of diverting at least Shs 110 bln meant for their salary enhancement in the next financial year that begins on July 1, 2022. The affected teachers say the budget framework paper 2022/23 does not reflect the item.

The government has been consistent in the different communication indicating that due to the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, and the struggling economy, it would be hard for it to increase salaries and other emoluments across all sectors at least in the 2022-2023 financial year.

https://thecooperator.news/muasa-boss-threatens-strike-over-staff-salaries-as-universities-reopen/

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