Arts educators, united through the Uganda Professional Humanities Teachers’ Union, have taken proactive steps to engage President Yoweri Museveni in discussions aimed at securing a salary increase.
Led by their president, Laban Munywanisa, a 13-member committee has been formed to negotiate improved salaries for arts teachers, aligning them with their science counterparts. Munywanisa emphasized the need for equitable compensation, stating, “It’s just fair for arts teachers to receive equal pay, just like the science teachers as directed by the president.”
This initiative responds to President Museveni’s previous directive, emphasizing parity in compensation for both arts and science educators. Facing a payment delay of 3 to 4 months, union leaders attribute the issue to the Uganda National Teachers’ Union, accusing them of not presenting their concerns to the government. The financial strain highlights the urgency of addressing salary discrepancies within the arts education sector.
Responding to the claims, Filbert Baguma, the General Secretary of the Uganda National Teachers’ Union, clarified, “It’s not the first time the union wants to meet the president,” asserting that they have engaged with the government on the matter and are awaiting a response.
Last year, President Museveni ordered a significant pay raise for science teachers, increasing their salaries from shs1.1 million and shs700,000 to shs2.5 and shs4 million. This development serves as a precedent for the ongoing efforts by arts teachers to secure comparable compensation.
As the committee prepares for negotiations with President Museveni, arts teachers remain optimistic about achieving wage equality and gaining recognition for their invaluable contributions to education.
