BY ABDALA MASEREKA
Secondary School Arts Teachers in Kasese have vowed to maintain their industrial action should the government fail to address their demand for salary increment.
While addressing the press today at Trip plus Guest House in Kiburara, Kisinga Sub-county prior to their meeting, Mr. Joel Nyanabo, the Rwenzori Regional Coordinator for Uganda Humanities Teachers Union, observed that as Arts teachers, they have the constitutional right to advocate for salary increment.
Mr. Ndyanabo stressed that their agitation for salary increment does not only come after the government increased salaries of the science teachers but also follows the Central Bargaining Agreement that was signed in 2018, asking for equal treatment for all the teachers as far as salary is concerned.
Mr. Johnson Muhindo, the Coordinator for Uganda Humanities Arts Teachers’ Union in-charge of Kasese district revealed that they were disappointed as the Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development read the National Budget yesterday but did not mention anything about the salary enhancement of the Arts teachers.
He called upon all Arts teachers in the district to stick to the cause without being intimidated because their industrial action was constitutional.
Ms. Constance Biira, a teacher at Kasese Secondary School who is among the victims, noted that the salary disparities between the Arts teachers and science teachers have created divisions among themselves and disrespect for the Arts teachers by the students.
Tricia Muhindo, a senior four candidate at Saad Memorial Secondary School and Blessed Mumbere, a senior three student at the same school told our reporter that they had started feeling the impact of the absence of Arts teachers from their school.