How teachers responded to strike across Uganda

As much as the teachers’ strike over failure of Government to effect their 10% salary raise in the 2015/2016 financial year is holding ground in Kampala, it is ineffective upcountry.
 
New Vision did a mini survey and below are the findings:

Kampala

A part from upcountry schools where the impact of a sit-down-strike was not felt as most teachers shunned it, the effect of the industrial action was more felt in Kampala.

However, like in other places, some teachers turned up at some of the schools in the city for work although many of them heeded the call for the strike from UNATU.
 
The pupils who turned up at most of the schools in the city for the new academic term were unattended to.

At some schools, the situation was chaotic as pupils demanded security guards to let them return home after waiting for teachers in vain.
 
No teachers turned up at Nakasero and Bat valley. Some teachers turned up at Kitante primary school, but they didn't teach. Gloria Nyirabeeza, a P.6 at Nakasero who was found at school, expressed her disappointment at the strike.
 
"I wake up early in the morning every day to board a taxi from Mutundwe to Kampala city to attend school. Why should I come to school only to find no teacher around? She wondered.
 
"There are no teachers to teach us and we are tired of playing. We want to go back home," a pupil at Buganda Road primary school shouted. Only three out of 59 teachers turned up at the school.
 
Walter Odoch, a deputy headmaster, said that he and other teachers will not teach until their union directs them otherwise.
 
"The school is open; children have turned up but teachers did not come because they are part of the industrial action. Children can continue coming, but we shall not teach," Odoch said.
 
Christine Kaijuka, a parent, took her children away from the school after learning that teachers had not reported, "I have closed my business to come and pick my children because it makes no point for them to remain at school without teachers,"
 
Dembe Walugembe, who also picked his four children from Nakasero primary school hours after they had reported, had not taken the teachers' threats seriously. "I thought they were not serious about the strike. I have come to take my children back home," he added. At Shimon Demonstration primary, Kololo, out of 17 teachers, only eight reported.
 
Kibaale

By 8:00am, most of the teachers had reported to their respective schools despite a call for a national wide industrial action.
 
The Kagadi Model primary school, Elizabeth Kijukyo, said there was no need to lay down tools because strikes are not the only way of demanding for a pay rise.
 
"We could not go on strike because there are other alternative means through which we can demand for a pay rise," she added. All the 18 teachers turned up at the beginning of the second term of the year. However, only 402 pupils out of 910 turned up. All the 18 teachers turned
 
Eight out the nine teachers reported for duty at Kagadi Muslim primary school, but only 65 pupils turned up.
 
Jenerose Nyakato, a teacher at Bishop Rwakaikara primary school said, they disregarded the call for a strike because a response from Prime Minister Ruhakana Rugunda was loud and clear – no money to effect any pay rise for any category of public servants in the new financial year until 2016/17.
 
Bartholomew Bukenya, the inspector of schools in Buyaga West County said he found all teachers in the schools he inspected yesterday, although on average only 10% of the pupils turned up.
 
At Kyakabadiima primary school, only 79 pupils out 715 recorded at the end of last term reported for the second term. Eight out of twelve teachers reported to the school.
 
At Rutabagwe primary school, only 45 out of 443 pupils showed up. Seven out of eight teachers worked.
 
Only 63 pupils out of 402 at Rwentale primary school showed up, but all the eight teachers reported for duty.
 
"On average over 90% of the teachers reported for duty while those who haven't provided genuine reasons. But most parents have not sent children to school," Bukenya said.
 
Mbarara
 
Teachers turned up at all the schools surveyed by New Vision in the district yesterday.
 
Francis Tumwebaze, the Mbarara municipality education officer, said that teachers in 60 government aided schools reported to work. He explained that only two schools, Madrasat Hamuza in Kakoba division and Mbarara United Pentecostal, had few teachers on duty.
 
"I am happy teachers in the municipality have responded positively to Prime minister, Ruhakana Rugunda's call and reported to their stations and classes to teach the children of the nation," he added.
 
He reasoned that teachers ought to make a decision on whether to heed to calls from their employer – Government or UNATU before staging a strike.
 
Martin Kananura, the head teacher at Mbarara Municipal School, said UNATU should not have called the strike although the government breached an agreement of a 50% increase in teachers' salaries.
 
"We should give government time because it is willing to fulfill the promise after all it has fulfilled a 40% rise. By striking we would be punishing pupils and parents," he added.
 
John Bosco Kamujuni, the head teacher at Uganda Martyrs Primary School Mbarara, said the teachers did not heed to appeals for the industrial action, and there was a low pupil turn out because of parents thought the strike was on.
 
"We must accept that we belong to the government. We called our teachers on phone and made announcements in churches asking them to report to work," he added.
 
Gloria Nankunda, a parent, went to Uganda Martyrs primary school to establish if teachers had reported before she sent her children there. "Strikes are bad and teachers are cheating us. Our children don't learn when they are striking," she added.
 
Godfrey Tumwine, the deputy head teacher at Boma primary school said, "It is not good to punish pupils. I call upon the government to honour its promise,"
 
Mbale
Just like in other places, most teachers reported to schools, but there were few pupils to teach. The teachers said they were convinced by their head teachers to report to work as the union and government negotiate.

"We were ready to teach, but we cannot afford to take our own children to school because we don't have money," a teacher said.

Teachers were found teaching at Nabuyonga, Namatala, Fairway, North road, Yoweri Museveni and Maluku primary schools.

Gulu and Amuru
By 8:00am on Monday, pupils of Police Primary School in Gulu were sitting for their beginning of term exams, and 49 out of 51 teachers had reported.
 
Stephen Mwaka P'lugai the deputy head teacher of Police Primary School said UNATU's strikes have failed to yield fruits in the past.
                        
Sr. Hellen Ayaa, the head teacher of Holy Rosary Primary School said they only saw the UNATU decision in media; and that they were yet to get an official communication from the teachers’ union.
 
Vincent Ocheng, the Gulu education officer said he had agreed with teachers that they would only follow directives from the office of the prime minister since negotiations between Government and teachers are on-going.
 
Amuru teachers asked UNATU to negotiate with Government, rather than calling for strikes.

Nebbi
But the situation was different in Nebbi district. Some of the schools surveyed by New Vision were closed by press time.

Pupils, who turned up at Nebbi public primary school, were seen stranded in the compound because their school was not open.

A parent who had brought his child to the school, said "I haven't seen any teacher around, but let me wait for a little more,"

The reaction to UNATU's call for the strike among teachers was mixed, with some of them saying they were sick and tired of staying at home after a month of holidays and urging the union to call off the industrial action.

"Let the strike be called off because we’re tired of being at home. We are not seeing any good thing coming out of it," a teacher said.

Rogers Munguriek, a teacher at Angir primary school, returned home after he found the school closed, with no pupils around.

But, Jessica Ongiertho, the Nebbi district assistant administrative officer, said the strike had no impact, and that most schools had opened. "Our teachers are not on strike. It is pupils striking because they have not come to school," he added.
 
Soroti
Pupils in Soroti Municipality were stranded as most of the teachers staged a strike.
 
Some of the pupils at schools like Kichinjaji, Moru Apesur, Akisim, Swaria and Pioneer primary Schools were seen playing during the time they should have been in class while others went back home.
 
At Moru Apesur primary school only 12 teachers out of 22 reported. Stephen Okiror, the school head teacher, said teachers were willing to teach, but they were disappointed by the low turnout of the pupils.
 
Only 50 pupils out of the 673 the school recorded at the end of last term showed up.
 
The district principal education officer, Stephen Enou, called upon teachers to resume as the union leaders and the governments continue to talk.
 
Mityana
As some of the teachers went on strike, sister, Teopista Nakabira, a teacher at St Noah Kiyinda primary school and others decided to report to their respective schools, saying they were called upon to serve the nation.
 
Although she didn't participate in the strike, she urged government to fulfill its promise.
 
 "We also need the money. But we shall keep working as we wait," she said. Only 350 pupils out 700 turned up. "The pupils have come. It would be unfair if we remained at home,"

However, at Mityana public school, teachers sat in the compound as the pupils remained unattended to in classes.
 
Mubende
Teachers turned up at some of the schools sampled by New Vision, but they didn't work. The pupils who reported to schools played all day long as their teachers looked on.
 
Benson Kayiwa, the district education officer, urged the teachers to teach the pupils.
 
Kayunga
Teachers in Busaana, Nazigo sub counties and Kayunga town council turned up for the second term despite a call for a strike.

 "We heard the call for the sit down strike, but we could not comply because government had already explained that it would effect the pay rise in the 2016-2017 financial year," a teacher who asked not to be named said.

Hoima
"That word strike is new in the ears of Hoima teachers; they are not sentimental. Our teachers are law abiding and they are in class going about their duties. I salute them for the good gesture," said, Ibrahim Bigabwa, the municipal education officer

However, the pupil and student turn up was low. Moses Ayebale, the head teacher of Duhaga Girls primary school said seven out of eight teachers reported.

Fred Musinguzi, the head teacher for Duhaga Boys said all the 22 teachers reported for work.

Arua
The call for the strike did not stop over 1,000 pupils from reporting for the second term at Arua Hill Primary school.

The school headmistress, Catherine Dudu, said all teachers showed up despite a call for the strike. "We cannot disappoint our parents under such circumstances by going on strike," she said.
 
A total of 17 teachers reported to duty at Simbili primary school in Maracha district. 

Kasese
By 8:00am, most teachers in Kasese municipality had reported to schools. Teachers were found teaching while some pupils were picking litter in the compounds.
 
"I was here (school) by 7:00am ready to work. I am not bothered by the call for the strike from UNATU," Joshua Bwambale, a teacher at St. Peters primary school in Nyamwamba division, Kasese municipality said.
 
A total of 13 out of 15 teachers reported to work at Road barrier primary school in Bulembia division.
 
Teachers were found supervising pupils as they carried out general cleaning at Kamaiba primary school before lessons began.
 
"We are doing our work normally, the term has just started and we are preparing our candidates for Mock examinations, so we don't want to disrupt them with the endless UNATU strikes," said, Erias Muhindo, the school's deputy head teacher.
 
Kabarole
Teachers shunned the strike, but many pupils stayed away from school because parents thought schools would not open. However, the teachers attended to the few pupils who turned up.

John Byamukama, the head teacher of Buhinga primary school, said teachers were willing to teach, but the pupils were few.

"My teachers are in class as you have seen. It is only the pupils who have turned up in small numbers. They thought we are not going to teach," Byamukama said.

A total of 33 teachers out of 38 turned up.

The situation was similar in many other schools in the district – more teachers, but few pupils. The teachers, however, asked government to fulfill its pledge. 

Complied by Pascal Kwesiga, Innocent Anguyo, Racheal Nabisubi, Vivian Agaba, Owiny Jolly Tobbias, Ismael Kasooha, Paul Watala, Robert Atuhairwe, Charles Jjuuko, Luke Kagiri, Julius Obongo, Benedict Okethwengu, Fred Turyakira, Wilson Asiimwe and Geoffrey Mutegeki Araali

Related

Teachers fail to agree on strike

President should address UNATU, ministry feud over SACCO money

Salary: Teachers told to be calm