By Our Reporter
NATIONAL
Government has ordered Arts teachers to go back to class or risk being replaced by the many unemployed student teachers who will be willing to take up the jobs.
The veiled warning was issued today, Wednesday, 25th June, 2025 by the Minister of State for Public Service, Hon Mary Grace Mugasa during a Media briefing at the Ministry of ICT and National Guidance.
Mugasa says, government has no money for salary enhancement this financial year mostly because the biggest chunk of the budget is going to finance general elections.
Mugasa who says, the teachers’ leadership met with the Minister of Education over the weekend and were assured that there issue could not be resolved this financial year.
“Before we replace you at work go back and teach, the Government doesn’t have money to pay teachers right now,” she says.
She argues that furtherance of the industrial strike only affects the innocent learners who are being left behind by their colleagues in private schools.
Teachers of Humanities have however, refused to teach saying, the discriminatory enhancement of science teachers’ salaries is unconstitutional and demotivating.
Arts teachers in the Elgon region on Monday, 23rd June, 2025 rejected government’s request to return to class without addressing the issue of equal pay.
In a review meeting held at Rates Hotel in Amber Store, -Industrial Division, Mbale City, the teachers, represented by the Uganda Professional Humanities Teachers Union (UPHTU), resolved to stand firm on their demand for equal pay for arts teachers.
According to George Mooma, the Elgon region coordinator, the Ministry of Education and the First Lady, Janet Kataha Museveni, had advised teachers to give government time and return to class, citing the current focus on elections and limited funds. However, the teachers were unimpressed.
