Teachers across the country are this morning reporting for classes as schools officially open for term 2 of 2019 academic year. The development comes after the teachers under their umbrella body, Uganda National Teachers’ Union (UNATU) met and held talks with President Museveni on Sunday afternoon and agreed to postpone their intended industrial action.
Teachers over the last weeks swore never to listen to anyone until government agreed to increase their salaries immediately. However, the meeting, in which they agreed to end their strike over salary increment, was held at the Offices of Prime Minister (OPM) in Kampala and was also attended by Prime Minister, Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda, Education and Sports Minister, Janet Museveni as well as all the education State Ministers.
Diring the meeting, president Museveni asked teachers to suspend their industrial action for the whole term, promising to meet them again in late July to brief them on the next course of action.
The President appealed to the teachers not to cause problems to the country but rather seek for equitable salary structures for all civil servants through the establishment of a harmonized salaries board to balance salaries of all civil servants.
On the salary increment for scientists in the country, President Museveni defended it saying that some skills are more needed in society than others.
“You see doctors when one falls sick it’s the doctor to treat but not a person like me who is Head of State or a Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces.
The President also stated that as teachers demand for salary enhancement, they should also discuss the source of the national income where revenue that generates salaries comes from.
"By 1987, the tax collection was Shs.5 billion. This is because there was nothing to tax as the economy had collapsed. In 2018 we collected seventeen thousand billion shillings because we now have factories that are producing goods for sale,’’ he said.
UNATU Secretary General, Filbert Baguma, advised that while government has put priority in sectors like roads, electricity and industry; there is also need to consider education, as it is the backbone of development.
He also thanked the First Lady, Janet Museveni who is also Minister of Education and Sports for organizing the meeting and pledged to give her their support. Over the years, teachers have threatened to lay down their tools, but each time, government promises to take care of their problems though this, never happens.
