Teachers in Kabarole district have vowed not to re-open schools for third term if the government fails to increase their salaries by 100 percent.
Teachers under their umbrella organization Uganda National Teachers Union (UNATU) on 28th July staged a countrywide sit down strike protesting government failure to increase their salaries. The government intervened by setting up an inter-ministerial committee to look into the issue and respond to teachers by August 28th.
UNATU officials vowed to resume the strike if government fails to increase their pay by the end of August. As the deadline approaches, teachers in Kabarole are already issuing a warning.
Steven Nyakaana, the newly elected district UNATU chairperson disclosed that teachers in Kabarole have agreed not to re-open for third term if the government does not increase their salaries.
This was during the UNATU district branch executive elections held at Mucwa Kingdom headquarters on Monday. Over 200 primary and secondary teachers participated in the exercise.
Primary teachers earn a Shs 270,000 monthly, which they say is too little to meet their daily needs.
Nyakaana said that teachers in the district are only waiting for what comes out of the UNATU meeting with President Yoweri Museveni and education ministry officials on August 28th 2011.
Nyakaana warned that if government fails to respond positively and increase the teachers’ salaries by 100%, they will not resume work when schools open for third term on September 5th.
Nyakaana, who was re-elected chairperson UNATU Kabarole, however said that his leadership will act as a bridge between the teachers and government to ensure that their grievances are represented and addressed.
Charles Dickens Nsubuga, the newly elected UNATU secretary for education, professional standards and discipline says that unless the government increases the teachers’ salaries, they will not be seen at schools for third term.
UNATU Vice secretary, Sylvia Kamuli wants government to include Kabarole district in hard-to-reach areas to motivate teachers in the area. She reveals that many schools in the district are located in the mountainous areas of Rwenzori and teachers deployed in these sub counties on the slopes of the mountain find problems teaching.
