The Uganda National Teachers’ Union (UNATU) has petitioned the Speaker of Parliament, Anita Among, to address what it describes as discriminatory salary enhancements within the teaching profession.
UNATU’s Secretary General, Filbert Baguma, stressed the need for fairness and equity in teacher remuneration to preserve the quality of education and safeguard the future of millions of Ugandan learners.
Presenting the petition to the Speaker on Wednesday, Baguma said the existing disparities in teachers’ pay have caused widespread dissatisfaction, forcing the union to seek redress from Parliament.
The petition was also supported by other public sector groups, including the Local Government Workers’ Union, which called for salary increases and payment of long-outstanding arrears.
Similarly, the Uganda Vocational Trainers’ Union raised concerns over a drastic salary cut from UGX 4 million to UGX 900,000 in November 2024, urging Parliament to intervene.
In response, Speaker Anita Among assured the petitioners that their grievances would be considered. She instructed the Parliamentary Education Committee to handle the matter promptly and appealed to the teachers to suspend their planned strike in order to avoid disrupting the academic calendar.
> “We shall write to the minister as the committee sits, and decisions will be made following its report to Parliament,” she said.
Baguma welcomed the Speaker’s assurances, expressing cautious optimism.
> “We will give the Speaker the benefit of the doubt because Parliament is responsible for allocating resources to different sectors. We will review her interventions before making any final decisions,” he stated.
The petitions come amid rising tensions between Uganda’s public sector employees and the government over salary inequalities and poor working conditions. The outcome of Parliament’s deliberations is expected to have significant implications for the education sector and the broader public service.
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