The teachers have a point! UPE suffering!

SIR— I have read the “press release on current primary school teachers strikes” in the district of Ntungamo, Mbarara, Kabarole, Kyenjojo, Tororo, Busia and Rukungiri in the press. Unfortunately, the statement missed the point the aggrieved teachers are advancing for laying down their tools.The teachers are saying the salary earned by their head-teachers in comparison to that earned by the classroom teachers and yet they hold virtually the same academic and professional qualifications, is irrational. Why does a teacher who does the donkey work earn sh100,00 a month and a headteacher with similar qualification earns sh600,000 a month.These days many grade III teachers have upgraded to grade v status but they continue earning a grade III salary.The grade five teachers who are already earning sh150,000 a month are also demanding to know why a graduate teacher should earn sh400,000 a month and a non-graduate teacher in the same school is stifled with sh150,000.Parliament should live on its expectation and rectify this anomally in the teaching profession. Otherwise Uganda, which once enjoyed high academic standards will go down.Another area that needs urgent and wise implementation is UPE. Every Ugandan must appreciate the birth of UPE; but when it comes to implementation, all stakeholders like parents, teachers and government lose their direction. An underpaid teacher is handed 200 pupils or more in a class to teach with one textbook for 50 pupils and their knees acting as desks, under a mango tree, without lunch for the pupils.This state of affairs has been our schools’ performance drop below acceptable levels. Parliament has said that in order to avert this scenario, a quota system of say 50 students from each of the 56 districts should proceed to see university classrooms irrespective of their level of academic excellence under government sponsorship.What has been legislated here is total acceptance of defeat in directing resources to rural areas where there is dire necessity for real development in all spheres. Parliament and cabinet, please! A.W. NatifuMukono