Education minister Jessica Alupo has directed chief administrative officers to ensure all government schools open for third term on September 16.
The minister’s directive comes in the face of a move by teachers through their union to lay down tools at the beginning of the new term, following government’s failure to honour a promise to increase their salaries.
Ms Alupo said in a statement yesterday that she had received a notice from Uganda National Teachers Union (Unatu) regarding their declaration of industrial action, and warned the teachers against making learners to suffer, at a time when some of them are preparing for their final national examinations.
“Government directs all districts to ensure that all schools open for third term on September 16. The chief administrative officers through their district education officers and inspectors of schools are requested to ensure that all schools are opened as scheduled and head teachers report to their duty stations to receive parents and their children,” reads Ms Alupo’s statement. She asked teachers “not to sacrifice their professional ethics and abandon learners at this critical moment.”
However, Mr James Tweheyo, the Unatu general secretary, yesterday maintained their position. He said they did not sign the report Ms Alupo is expected to take to the President after they failed to agree.
While Ms Alupo insisted there was no money to increase the teachers’ salaries, Mr Tweheyo said they were able to identify Shs243b out of Shs130b government needs to add on their wage bill.
While Ms Alupo insisted there was no money to increase the teachers’ salaries, Mr Tweheyo said they were able to identify Shs243b out of Shs130b government needs to add on their wage bill.
Instead, as Ms Alupo plans to hand over her findings to the President this week, Mr Tweheyo yesterday said they had also complied a parallel report which they will give to the President when they are called upon. “We have refused to sign Alupo’s report. We don’t agree with the inter-ministerial findings. We shall hand over our report to the President when he calls us,” Mr Tweheyo said.
The Executive Director, Uganda National NGO Forum, Mr Richard Ssewakiryanga, blamed the standoff on government’s failure to respect budgets by consistently asking for supplementary budgets. He questions whether teachers will be in position to deliver if government forces them to report to school. “The reason we don’t have money is because of budget indiscipline and money stolen through corruption.
The actions expressed now are symptoms of a much bigger problem. Even if the teachers go back to school without their demand being met, do you think they will be teaching? Government should be mindful of its actions,” Mr Ssewakiryanga said.
Updated at the E-society resource center.
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