MPs meet teachers over salaries

Jul 21, 2011

PARLIAMENT social services committee will today meet teachers over demands for salary increment.

By Mary Karugaba

PARLIAMENT social services committee will today meet teachers over demands for salary increment.

According to the committee chairperson, Sam Lyomoki, the MPs will meet the teachers, under their umbrella organisation, the Uganda National Teachers Union.

The meeting follows a petition by the teachers to the Speaker of Parliament, Rebecca Kadaga, asking the legislators to intervene and cause Government to increase their salaries.

The teachers complained that despite the escalating prices of commodities, the recent budget presented by the ministry of Finance did not address their salary problems.

They also said President Yoweri Museveni promised to increase their salaries during the recent elections, but they were shocked that their pay was not raised.

The teachers want Government to increase their salaries by 100%. Primary school teachers want a minimum of sh450, 000 per month. Currently, on average, a primary school teacher earns sh260, 000 monthly, while secondary schools teachers earn about sh450, 000.

Tutors in primary teachers’ colleges earn sh350, 000 while those at national teachers’ colleges earn an average of sh500, 000 a month.

“We request that Parliament intervenes on issues of teachers’ welfare, particularly salary increment,” the union general secretary, said Birungi Mayanja said.

The union gave July 27 as the day teachers will lay down their tools if their demands were not addressed.

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