Science teachers in West Nile region have resolved to join their colleagues across the country and lay down their tools come May 9, 2022, protesting the failure of the government to enhance their salaries.
Through their umbrella body Uganda Professional Science Teachers Union UPSTU, the teachers say that the government has failed to honour its promise to enhance the salaries of scientists in the education sector.
In the financial year 2018/2019, the government earmarked Shillings 98 billion to enhance the salaries of science teachers. However, the government reportedly used the money to enhance the salaries of other scientists leaving out the teachers.
Now, science teachers in West Nile region say they will lay down their tools when the new school term begins in line with a resolution of the National Executive Council of the Uganda Professional Science Teachers Union (UPSTU) passed on April 21, 2022, over the governments’ failure to honour its promises.
Angutoko Paulino Jacinto, the West Nile Coordinator for UPSTU told journalists on Saturday that they have painfully decided to lay down their tools after several engagements with the government have failed to yield positive results.
Cabinet resolved that salaries of new graduate science teachers be enhanced to a minimum entry of Shillings 4 million and new grade v science teachers be enhanced to a minimum entry level of Shillings 3 million to be effected in the 2022/2023 financial year.
To that effect, during the FY2022/2023 budgeting process government allocated Shillings 400billion to enhance the salaries of all scientists with Shillings111 billion going to science teachers.
However, Angutoko, says that they are disappointed to learn that, the Shillings 111billion has disappeared from the budget framework paper.
Some of the members of the Union expressed disappointment over the government’s failure to enhance their salaries yet other scientists who passed through their hands have had their salaries increased.
Jesica Avako, the national secretary for Women Affairs in Uganda Professional Science Teachers’ Union urges the science teachers to stand together and fight for their rights.
Uganda Professional Science Teachers’ Union UPSTU brings together all post-primary science teachers, National Teacher College Lecturers, Primary Teacher College Tutors and Laboratory Technicians.
It was registered in 2020 and currently has a membership of over 350 scientists in West Nile Region.
–URN
