By Sophan Niwamanya
apearlnews.com
A section of Secondary, tertiary and technical School teachers in Kabale district have today shunned the world teacher’s day celebrations for Kabale district over the delay to have their salaries for september.
The chairperson Uganda National Teachers’ Union (UNATU) Kabale district Amos Musiimenta who was speaking during the celebration of teacher’s day in the district that was held at Kirigime guest house in Kirigime ward, southern division in Kabale Municipality revealed that teachers decided to stay in their homes since they could not afford the cost of transport because they are yet to receive their September salary.
Musiimenta said that secondary School teachers in the district did not intentionally refuse to join fellow teachers to celebrate their day, but they lacked transport which they attributed to delays in salary payment.
Musiimenta also condemned the deliberate move in the country to favor science teachers against their counterparts in primary and Arts/ Humanities as it is clearly reflected in the implementation of a discriminatory salary enhancement of over 300% effective FY 2022/2023 for science teaches in post primary education institutions against no increment for other teachers.
He said a discriminatory salary enhancement with in the teaching fraternity has increased disunity, demoralized the unfavored teachers and has affected staff team work and unity hence affecting service delivery among schools. He asked the government to expedite negotiations for salary enhancement for all categories of teachers in the FY 2023/2024 since the budgeting cycle is on.
The chairperson Uganda National Teachers’ Union (UNATU) Kabale Municipality Beinomugisha Geoffrey who doubles as the head teacher at Hornby junior primary school in Kabale municipality also told our reporter that none of the teachers in Kabale Municipality has received September salary. Beinomugisha said that delays in salary payment is likely to reduce morale among teachers and that the delays are caused by changes in the system. He however said that they expect to receive the salary by the close of business tomorrow.
The State Minister of Tourism, Trade, Industry (Trade) Hon. David Bahati, who was the guest of honor represented by the Kabale district Vice chairperson Miria Akankwasta Tugume requested teachers to do their part, put the learners entrusted to them at the center of their work by attending to their learning needs Government strives to improve on their status and welfare.
