The divide between science and arts teachers has reached a boiling point.
While the government has made strides in enhancing the pay for science teachers, arts teachers are disgruntled that their concerns have been deliberately ignored despite years of pleas.
So, the arts teachers, united under the Uganda Professional Humanities Teachers Union (UPHTU), are preparing to lay down their tools unless the government addresses their grievances.
The teachers have agreed to teach the first term of 2025 as they negotiate their pay but won’t return to classes in these second term if the matter is not resolved amicably, writes YUDAYA NANGONZI.
Last week, Teopista Akello, the UPHTU vice president, said government has repeatedly assured them that their salaries would eventually be enhanced, but those promises have not materialized.
“We learned with great shock that arts teachers were left out of the government’s five-year salary enhancement plan which came into effect in 2024/25 covering those earning below 77% of the approved salary targets. This omission is a bitter blow for arts teachers, and some have begun to lose hope of seeing any tangible changes,” Akello said.
She was speaking at UPHTU offices in Kampala. She added that the government should investigate the plight of arts teachers and include them in the budget provisions for the financial year 2024/25.
The union leaders have also written to several government officials seeking an audience to rectify the pay disparities all in vain. In the last letter dated November 28, 2024, UPHTU leaders addressed the head of public service and secretary to the cabinet, Lucy Nakyobe, about the unequal treatment of arts teachers.
“The purpose of this letter is to politely request to meet you and your team to negotiate on how to harmonize the discriminated arts teachers in the salaries enhancement in the education sector,” reads the letter.
The letter outlined four key points of concern, including the difficulty in meeting basic living expenses due to low salaries, the unfulfilled promises of salary adjustments as per the 2018 collective bargaining agreement, the exclusion of arts teachers from the national salary enhancement plans, and the increasing challenges that reforms in the education sector are creating for arts teachers.
The same letter was also copied to the speaker of parliament, ministers of Finance, Education, and Gender, and the chairperson of the National Negotiating and Consultative Council. Akello said that despite the urgency of their issues, the union has not received any response from Nakyobe and other officials.
UPHTU advocates for the welfare of arts teachers in government-aided secondary schools, tutors in all core Primary Teachers Colleges (PTCs), and lecturers in National Teacher Colleges (NTCs).
SALARY DISPARITIES
It is three years since the government enhanced the pay for science teachers. Graduate science teachers were raised from Shs 1.2m to Shs 4m, while those with diplomas had their salaries increased from Shs 930,000 to Shs 2.2m. Head teachers and their deputies with science backgrounds leading PTCs, NTCs, and BTVET institutions saw their salaries enhanced to Shs 6.5m and Shs 4.5m respectively.
On the contrary, the head teachers in secondary schools with humanities backgrounds receive a net pay of Shs 1.7m, while their science counterparts earn Shs 4.9m. Graduate arts teachers earn Shs 840,000, while diploma holders get Shs 600,000 monthly. Tutors with degrees receive Shs 780,000.
The general secretary of UPHTU, Francis Muteesasira, described the situation of arts teachers as untenable.
“Our salary structure is not even equivalent to school fees paid by students we teach in secondary schools. We have other bills to meet like school fees for our children and in rented homes. How does the government expect us to operate with low salaries yet we are tasked to produce better results?” Muteesasira asked.
He added: “Government should know that we are doing our work diligently with disgruntled hearts. We deserve fair treatment because we share the same or even more working load than science teachers.”
According to Godfrey Osenda, a head teacher at St Peters, Bulambi SS, the salary disparities continue to create tension within the schools.
“We have teachers in secondary schools earning Shs 400,000 against their science teachers at Shs 4m. Some science teachers even decline to undertake other roles and don’t mind receiving allowances as long as their enhanced salary comes in time,” Osenda said.
He wondered how an arts head teacher would be motivated to supervise science teachers who earn twice his/her in schools.
“There’s an urgent need to boost the morale of arts teachers. If the government continues to adamantly address this matter, the effect will be reflected in students’ final Uneb results,” Osenda said.
LOW ENROLMENT
The divide between arts and science teachers is more pronounced in PTCs and NTCs where teachers who excelled in arts subjects are opting for science subjects, as they believe the prospects for science teachers are much better when they graduate.
Gertrude Athieno, a tutor at Mukuju Core PTC, explained that while teachers are supposed to specialize at the diploma level, the majority opt for science subjects even when they are struggling to pass them.
“The low pay of arts teachers has affected the choice of subject combinations by grade three teachers who come to upgrade from certificates in primary education to diplomas at core PTCs. We have seen students who would rather get several retakes until they pass the sciences than offer an arts combination,” Athieno said.
She added that the number of teachers undertaking language subjects has also dwindled. As per the National Teacher Policy, the government expects every teacher whether in nursery, primary, or secondary school to hold a degree as a minimum qualification for entry into the teaching profession.
Currently, arts tutors in PTCs are running tight schedules for Diplomas in Primary Education and Early Childhood Development and Certificates in Early Childhood Development programmes amidst low pay.
Athieno said the tutors are also meant to coordinate an average of 80 primary schools in their centers, with a mandatory visit of three times per school per term. Yet their gross pay was reduced from Shs 1.2m to Shs 800,000, while their science counterparts were maintained at Shs 4m.
It’s worth noting that the tutors, with both science and arts backgrounds, will soon be required to hold a minimum of a Master’s degree as NTCs are now scheduled to run degree programmes in education-related fields.
WHY PRESIDENT MUSEVENI REMAINS UNMOVED
Despite the constant pleas of arts teachers for enhanced pay, President Museveni has publicly declined to heed their demands on two occasions.
During the National Teachers’ Day celebrations at Kololo Ceremonial grounds in October 2023, Museveni advised the arts teachers not to pressure him regarding their salary enhancements.
“The number of scientists is limited, allowing us to focus on them for the time being as we contemplate the next steps. I urge arts teachers not to rush me into hasty decisions. Let me approach this the guerrilla way. We’re striving to integrate everyone into the money economy. Until we achieve this goal, we must proceed cautiously,” Museveni stated.
Museveni has since insisted that the pay rise for science teachers was part of the government’s broader strategy to strengthen the teaching of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) subjects in schools.
At the 2024 Teacher’s Day celebrations, he reiterated the government’s focus on maintaining economic stability and prioritizing sectors such as science, which are considered vital for national development. He told arts teachers to remain patient until the economy could support their salary enhancement.
“When I directed that we start with scientists, I did so as a social scientist and a literature man myself. Our intention is clear, and we don’t need to waste time on this issue again. The economy is growing fast, and inflation is low. The target is to pay all public servants well but also increase their numbers,” Museveni said.
Good it seems that this African President is playing about with the national unions of workers in this country like playing football. He seems to be teaching these dodgy workers labour unions a lesson or two that however much the Uganda unions are there for the workers of this country, they belong to the NRM first!
Much of the public has been putting lots of pressure on this long serving government to come out of its economic dodgy principles and pronounce the legitimate government national minimum wage of a normal hard working citizen of this country! Look what comes out from all this government economic fake wages budget!
500 NRM elected members of Parliament each earn 35 million shillings every month. Government elected administrators eg. Kampala mayor, Supreme court judges etc. each earn over 45 million shillings per month. One hopes it is even worse if the whole of His Excellence the President of this country earns 2 million shillings every month!
One wonders if these African workers unions understand the meaning of the solidarity of international labour unions and their aspirations to develop better working conditions for the working communities of this world?
Only a fool does not see the the critical role a teacher plays in the well being of a successful country.
But secondly the very individuals rejecting to listen to the pleas for an increment for these hard working teachers were taught by those teachers!
So in future these weak headed men and women refusing to enhance the salaries of these neglected workers will see the damage they are causing to this country.
As Mr Angotre says, and i have come to agree with him entirely, tthat only an African rank fool is one who believes that teachers of the Arts /Humanities subjects are not deserving of any salary enhancement.
The MPs and any other concerned officers must know that if this matter of fairer pay for these deserving workers is not addressed, the future generation of Ugandans will pay heavily and painfully, including the children of the concerned officers.
What can’t be cured must be endured.
I wonder how the government of elites operates like of the illiterates. Shame upon them, at one time, nature will judge them and their authority.
Apartheid in south Africa was not fought by the liberator only but by teachers and learners as well. Paying adeaf ear to the plight of the arts teachers will come with dire consequences for all of us.
Finally I say that ignoring change that you are not created yourself is like digging your own pit and ignoring that there is no pit??? Hmmm!!! Am watching the space.