Kampala, Uganda – As Uganda prepares to commemorate International Teachers’ Day this Saturday, the Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) has reiterated its call for equal pay for all teachers, regardless of their subjects.
The party’s move aims to address the long-standing disparity in teachers’ salaries, which has led to low morale and motivation among educators. Currently, science teachers receive higher salaries than their arts and humanities counterparts.
UPC spokesperson Sharon Oyat Arach emphasized the crucial role teachers play in combating ignorance and fostering national growth. “As a Party whose aim is to fight ignorance in the country, we acknowledge the contribution and importance of teachers in the growth and development of our country.” Arach said
According to Arach, addressing teachers’ concerns, demonstrates government’s goodwill in promoting growth and development of both the education sector and the country’s Human resource.
It’s upon the above background that Uganda people’s Congress called on the government to swiftly act and improve the teachers’ welfare saying, “we call upon the government, to improve the lives of the teachers through better equal pay, improved infrastructure in terms of the schools and access roads including better working conditions.” She said
UNATU has been tirelessly advocating for salary increments for both science and arts teachers since 2011. In 2023 and 2024, UNATU continued to demand salary increments for arts and humanities teachers, as well as primary school teachers.
The union argued that the government’s selective salary increments create disharmony among teachers with the same qualifications and experience.
This year’s world’s teacher’s day will be marked on 5th October under the theme “Valuing teacher’s Voices towards a new social contract for education”.
