A member of Parliament belonging to Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine’s National Unity Platform (NUP) has opposed a move by government to only increase salaries of secondary school science teachers, leaving their arts counterparts as well as primary school teachers.
Government has promised to increase salaries of science teachers as well as all scientists in the 2022-2023 Financial Year which begins in July 2022.
But arts teachers are said to be bitterly complaining and demanding that they too be included since they are also important stakeholders in the education sector. Primary school teachers are also reportedly grumbling over marginalization as government continues to prioritize their colleagues in secondary schools.
During a recent plenary sitting, Kalungu West County MP Joseph Ssewungu called on Wilson Muruli Mukasa’s Ministry of Public Service as well as the entire Museveni government to reconsider their plans to only increase salaries for science teachers.
MP Ssewungu vowed not to rest until secondary school arts and primary school teachers have also been catered for in the proposed salary enhancement move.
A former teacher himself, Ssewungu argued that it would be unfair to only prioritize science teachers and leaving their colleagues behind. He explained that a student will still fail if he or she passes sciences and fails other subjects such as the English Language.
Known for being passionate about education matters, Ssewungu is expected to keep his push for the inclusion of arts teachers and primary school teachers on the list of government employees expected to enjoy a salary increment starting July 2022.
Days ago, Museveni’s cabinet announced that each science teacher will be earning Shs4m every month starting July 2022. But the science teachers demanded that government should put this promise in writing before they could end their strike. (Read Story Here).
The science teachers, believing it is their time to eat, have also made it clear to their arts counterparts that they are on their own and that they should also pile pressure on government if they (arts teachers) want to have their salaries increased. (Read Story Here).
Meanwhile, the Education Service Commission (ESC) has released the shortlist of teachers who applied for payroll jobs for the Mbarara, Arua, Mbale and Gulu centers. (See Shortlist Here).
MORE ON SALARY INCREMENT CIRCUS
In order to improve service delivery and end the challenge of strikes over low pay, President Museveni’s government has proposed huge salary increments for teachers, doctors and other employees starting July 2022. (Read Story Here)
The proposed increments have left many people wondering if government will really fulfill this pledge and increase salaries by very high amounts.
For example, opposition leader Dr Kizza Besigye has argued that the promise of salary increment is just ‘another lie.’ (Read Story Here).
Finance Minister Matia Kasaija recently said the money for increasing teachers’, doctors’ and other civil servants’ salaries was available. (Read Story Here).
In August 2021, cabinet approved salary increment for teachers, doctors and other health workers. (Read Story Here).
See the salary structure that had been proposed for the current financial year here.
UPDATED LIST: See Salary Structure for All Government Workers
Meanwhile, an NRM MP has angered teachers after telling them they are too poor to go on strike. (Read Story Here).
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