UNEB examiners strike spreads
Dec 11, 2006
The strike of the O’level examiners has spread. In another marking centre, at Nabisunsa Girls School, 600 teachers stopped marking, citing poor feeding and demanding a pay rise.
By Fortunate Ahimbisibwe
The strike of the O’level examiners has spread. In another marking centre, at Nabisunsa Girls School, 600 teachers stopped marking, citing poor feeding and demanding a pay rise.
The Uganda National Examination Board (UNEB) yesterday held separate meetings with the aggrieved teachers. In an effort to quell the strike, UNEB secretary, Matthew Bukenya, held discussions with the chairman of the examinations’ body, Prof. Lutalo Bbosa. Together with UNEB officials, they then met examiners at Nabisunsa and Kabojja.
Most of the teachers at Nabisunsa were yesterday reported sunbathing at the school compound, as they waited for UNEB’s position on their demands. They were marking History, Islamic Education, Literature in English and English language.
The strike started on Saturday, when examiners at Kabojja Secondary School put down their pens, complaining about low pay and being confined to marking centres, where they are not allowed to use phones.
The teachers at Kabojja had not yet resumed work yesterday, claiming they were waiting for UNEB’s decision tomorrow.
“We are doing everything possible to get the examiners back to business,†Bukenya told The New Vision in a telephone interview.
“The teachers at Nabisunsa are raising concerns about an administrative matter which is not difficult to solve. I am sure we shall strike an agreement.â€
Bukenya believed the strike would not affect the academic timetable. “We are still on schedule. I am appealing to parents and students not to be worried. Results will come out in February, as planned,†he emphasised.
Examiners are paid sh298 per script for marking, and another sh13 (or 5%) per script for cross-checking. They want the fee doubled to 10% before resuming work.
Previously, UNEB put in place a separate unit to check the scripts after marking. “We are not getting the same money which was paid to the checkers and yet we are doing their work. Where will that money go?†asked one of the examiners.
The strike of the O’level examiners has spread. In another marking centre, at Nabisunsa Girls School, 600 teachers stopped marking, citing poor feeding and demanding a pay rise.
The Uganda National Examination Board (UNEB) yesterday held separate meetings with the aggrieved teachers. In an effort to quell the strike, UNEB secretary, Matthew Bukenya, held discussions with the chairman of the examinations’ body, Prof. Lutalo Bbosa. Together with UNEB officials, they then met examiners at Nabisunsa and Kabojja.
Most of the teachers at Nabisunsa were yesterday reported sunbathing at the school compound, as they waited for UNEB’s position on their demands. They were marking History, Islamic Education, Literature in English and English language.
The strike started on Saturday, when examiners at Kabojja Secondary School put down their pens, complaining about low pay and being confined to marking centres, where they are not allowed to use phones.
The teachers at Kabojja had not yet resumed work yesterday, claiming they were waiting for UNEB’s decision tomorrow.
“We are doing everything possible to get the examiners back to business,†Bukenya told The New Vision in a telephone interview.
“The teachers at Nabisunsa are raising concerns about an administrative matter which is not difficult to solve. I am sure we shall strike an agreement.â€
Bukenya believed the strike would not affect the academic timetable. “We are still on schedule. I am appealing to parents and students not to be worried. Results will come out in February, as planned,†he emphasised.
Examiners are paid sh298 per script for marking, and another sh13 (or 5%) per script for cross-checking. They want the fee doubled to 10% before resuming work.
Previously, UNEB put in place a separate unit to check the scripts after marking. “We are not getting the same money which was paid to the checkers and yet we are doing their work. Where will that money go?†asked one of the examiners.