A nationwide teachers’ strike organized by the Uganda Professional Humanities Teachers Union (UPHTU) is set to begin on Tuesday, immediately following the Eid al-Adha and Heroes Day holidays. The industrial action affects government secondary schools, 23 primary teachers’ colleges, five national teachers’ colleges, and Uganda Colleges of Commerce.
According to UPHTU National Chairperson Teopista Akello, the strike will continue until the government addresses long-standing salary disparities between arts and science teachers.
Click here to join our WhatsApp Group and Receive Daily News
“We are not returning to classrooms until there is equal pay for teachers with the same qualifications, regardless of their teaching subjects,” Akello said in an interview. She criticized the government for selectively increasing the salaries of science teachers while leaving arts educators behind.
“In some schools, teachers share the same staffroom and have the same credentials but are paid differently. “That’s unacceptable,” she emphasized. Akello added that the union is open to discussions but remains firm that industrial action will continue until their demands are fulfilled.
“The government has made repeated promises to raise the salaries of humanities teachers, but nothing has been done. We are demanding action, not more pledges,” she stated.
Godfrey Osenda, National Chairperson of the Uganda Professional Humanities Sacco, said over 10,000 of the 17,000 government-employed arts teachers have committed to the strike. “Our 90-day ultimatum expired last Friday. We’ve now officially stopped work,” he said.
He noted that initial hesitation among teachers faded after awareness campaigns in districts like Busia, Tororo, Mbale, and Butaleja. “All humanities teachers in government schools have been directed to withdraw from teaching until further notice,” Osenda said.
He also pushed back against the government’s argument that salary enhancements depend on economic performance. “The economy is now worth Shs226 trillion annually, so there’s no excuse,” he argued.
Patrick Ochodomuge, a secondary school teacher, voiced frustration over years of unfulfilled promises. “We’ve been negotiating with the government since 2022, but no pay increase has been realized,” he said.
Fellow educator Mande Yowa added, “We shop in the same markets as science teachers—why are we treated like we matter less? Aren’t we public servants too?”
By press time, officials from the Ministry of Education and Sports had not commented on the ongoing strike.
Also Read: Amama Mbabazi’s Daughter Wanted Over Unpaid Shs 450m Loan
