Vice President Maj (Rtd) Jessica Alupo has assured striking teachers that nobody will sack them for laying down their tools as some government officials have been threatening.
The industrial action by secondary school arts teachers and their primary school colleagues has gone on for over two weeks as the teachers demand salary increment to match their science counterparts whose pay has been enhanced alongside salaries of all scientists.
While President Yoweri Kaguta Tibuhaburwa Museveni had instructed the ministries of public service and education to negotiate with teachers on how to resolve the matter at hand, Catherine Bitarakwate Musingwiire, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Public Service, released a statement warning that striking arts teachers would be fired if they refuse to return to class by June 24.
The other government officials that were threatening teachers with a possible sack included Raphael Magyezi, the minister of public service, who even instructed district authorities to compile a report on absentee teachers so that they can be deleted from the payroll.
Even Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja had insisted that teachers on industrial action would lose their jobs.
But Bitarakwate’s boss Minister Muruli Mukasa would later announce that the statement on looming sacking of arts teachers was simply a proposal.
On June 29, VP Alupo met teachers under their umbrella body, the Uganda National Teachers’ Union (Unatu) to discuss ways of resolving the issues at hand so that teachers can return to class.
During the meeting, Alupo assured teachers that nobody will sack them. According to Unatu secretary general Filbert Bates Baguma, during the meeting, the vice president said the threats to sack striking teachers as well as any other form of intimidation were “uncalled for” and that focus should be put on finding a “conclusive strike” to the industrial action.
VP Alupo’s statement come a day after first lady and education minister Janet Museveni revealed that there are over 30,000 unemployed and desperate teachers ready to grab jobs of striking arts teachers once government sacks them. (Read Story Here).
Read More on Our Coverage of Government Job Opportunities, Arts Teachers’ strike and Salary Increment Circus below:
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You can find the list of teachers shortlisted for government payroll jobs at the Mbarara, Arua, Mbale and Gulu Centres Here.
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