President should address UNATU, ministry feud over SACCO money

By Nicholas Wassajja

The National Organization of Trade Unions (NOTU) has called for the president’s intervention in the ongoing standoff between the Uganda National Teachers’ Union (UNATU) and the ministry of education over shs25b meant for teachers’ SACCOs.

NOTU wants President Yoweri Museveni to engage Ministry of Education and Sports (MOES) so that it rescinds its position to channel the teachers’ SACCO money through Micro Finance Support Center.

Speaking to journalists, the chairman NOTU, Usher Owere, expressed concern that the money was channeled to the Micro Finance Support Center (MFSC) rather than the Union of Teachers SACCO (UTS). 

Gonza Ssensamba, Vice National Chairperson UNATU (L),  James Tweheyo General Secretary  UNATU (C) and  Mayuge (R)representative leading the procession to the Ministry of Education headquarters on Jan 22, 2015. The teachers presented a petition regarding the president’s sh25b for teachers' SACCOs. Photo/Godiver Asege.

“It seems the President alone understands the teachers' plight because why should MoES go against the initial plan to have the teachers SACCO involved that’s why we want him to bring authorities in the ministry to order?” Owere wondered.

In 2010 Museveni pledged Shs25b to be remitted to teacher’s SACCOs in installments of Shs5b annually for five years to boost their socio-economic welfare and improve the quality of education.

Following the release of the first batch at the tune of Shs6.8b, MOES selected Micro Finance Support Center to manage the fund.

However, NOTU claims that apart from the unfriendly terms and conditions attached, the intended beneficiaries have not yet got the money.

Owere said that, “we understand sh6.8 b has been released but the grant is being extended as a loan with high interest rates and the benefit of building the teachers SACCO system is lost because the money is outside the teachers SACCO structure.”

The ministry recently stated that besides the fact that not all teachers are members of the UTS, UNATU had on several occasions declined to be part of the technical committee on the management of teachers’ SACCO cash and that they contracted MFSC as a government institution that manages government micro credit funds through delivery of affordable credit to manage the teachers fund.

Commenting on the matter at the sidelines of the news conference, Stephen Legesi the NOTU treasurer general told new vision that, “the issue of membership cannot be a bond of contention because UTS has a bigger membership of teachers unlike MFSC and that the fund is also meant to build capacity in teacher’s SACCOs.

According to UNATO, the country has over 169,000 teachers out of which 154,000 are registered with UNATO with 50 teachers’ SACCOs spread all over the country. The teachers under the various SACCOs formed an Apex Union of Teachers’ SACCOs.

Owere noted that arrangements with state house officials to schedule for a meeting with the president had commenced yesterday and details will be availed as soon as possible.

He said, “We agree with UNATU but our call for the president’s intervention is to protect vulnerable stakeholders like the parents and the students who will be affected when the industrial action takes place that’s why today we are meeting with state house officials to discuss arrangements.”

Earlier, UNATU gave government a 90 days’ notice if MOES does not release the money to UTS after which they planned an industrial action. The ultimatum was subsequently put on hold following a brief meeting between the minister for higher education John Muyingo and some UNATU officials.