Salary Increment For Science Teachers; Biology, chemistry, physics and mathematics.
The science teacher has a reason to smile after the president revealed that, science Teachers teaching Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, Physics and ICT will be given a salary increment and not their counterparts in arts.
Starting from high school level onwards the science Teachers shall be renumerated highly. The president said that the science Teachers contribute a lot and are directed towards improving the living standards.
Salary increment for science teachers has stirred mixed reactions from the public as the art counterparts are left wondering what will happen to them and to top it all the science teachers are renumerated highly because they contribute directly to economic and societal development.
Secretary-general for the teacher’s union Mr Baguma Filbert questioned how the Cabinet settled at increasing the monthly salary for science teachers and not all the teachers.
The Collective Bargaining Agreement for 2018 signed by the teacher’s union and the government stated that the government will increase salary for all teachers uniformly. However, on Wednesday The President emphasized that only science teachers will receive the increment. The CBA is thrown into disarray after the President’s reiteration.
The President in his address urged the teachers not to put pressure on him concerning the money or pay rise. Do not put me on tenterhooks because of money, he said.
The government desires to increase salary for all teachers and all other public servants but it lacks the money for doing so. However, the much that the government can do for now is to start by renumerating the science teachers.
The rest of the teachers and public servants shall have to wait for their turn, he argued. The plan is well thought out he added. The art teachers should not cause or bring any resistance.
Teachers in other categories who have the same qualifications as science teachers but specializing in other fields questioned if there is any grand planning to enhance their salary if the increment for science teachers is implemented.
Also, what will happen to the commitment signed by the government with the teachers on the 2018 CBA? They questioned.
All in all Mr President Museveni meant well for the Ugandan teachers and the proposed salary increment for science teachers aims at motivating teachers and not dividing the teaching fraternity.
Unfortunately, Mr Baguma is of the contrary opinion that if the increment plan pushes through it will bring division, disharmony, discouragement, dissatisfaction, demotivation and discrimination in the teaching fraternity.
