Teachers’ Strike Sparks Concerns Among Students
The ongoing industrial action by government arts and primary school teachers in Uganda has raised alarm among students particularly those in candidate classes as schools struggle to maintain academic progress. In Kazo town council, schools such as Kyabahura Primary School and Kazo Model Primary School have resumed operations by engaging learners especially candidates in alternative arrangements amid the strike.
At Kazo Model Primary School, Murarira Sam Kanduho expressed concern that the strike has impacted the school’s ability to cover the syllabus leaving students worried about their exam performance.
Similarly, Kamukama Evalist, Deputy Head Teacher at Kyabahura Model Primary School, noted that private teachers have stepped in to fill the gap left by striking government teachers though the effectiveness of this measure remains uncertain.
The strike which involves over 100,000 teachers across the country was launched on June 6 by the Uganda Professional Humanities Teachers Union (UPHTU) and Uganda National Teachers’ Union (UNATU). The teachers are protesting pay disparities between arts and science teachers as well as low pay for primary school teachers arguing that the current pay is discriminatory and demotivating.
In response to the strike, the government has issued stern warnings with Minister of State for Public Service, Hon. Mary Grace Mugasa, cautioning teachers to return to their classrooms or face replacement by unemployed student teachers. She cited budget constraints for the salary adjustments attributing the lack of funds to the large expenditure on general elections.
The strike has underscored the challenges faced by Uganda’s education sector, highlighting the urgent need for a resolution to ensure that students’ learning is not severely disrupted.
