Don't go on strike, we have a solution - Museveni

Aug 14, 2019

Museveni called on the stakeholders in the education sector in Uganda to always think strategically above there individual demands.

President Yoweri Museveni has warned against strikes in institutions of learning in the country, saying the government is already working on a lasting solution as regards the issue of salary enhancement and welfare of the teachers in Uganda.

"My advice to you is that strikes must stop. Salaries should be fixed as the thinking about the country is given attention. The strategic aim is to give a living wage that serves everybody," he said.

The President was on Tuesday evening addressing a meeting of education leaders of both teaching and non-teaching staff of government schools and universities at State House, Entebbe.

The meeting follows a standoff in May this year when teachers took industrial action demanding salary and welfare enhancement. The Government has since made good it's commitment and availed sh150b towards salary enhancement to the education sector with sh13b committed to primary, secondary and tertiary institutions while sh15b went to Public Universities.

President Museveni told the meeting that much as teachers in particular and the education sector in general is important, they should appreciate the fact that the country's resource envelope also serves other priority areas such as peace, roads and electricity which, he said, are crucial for the development of the country.

He, therefore, highlighted the need to identify the Lowest Common Factor in the development of the country emphasizing that the LCM is the bone marrow of industry and national development at large.

Museveni called on the stakeholders in the education sector in Uganda to always think strategically above there individual demands. He stressed that it was high time for all the leaders to put the country first and always think what can sustainably be achieved and for the majority.

"You must have a country first. If you don't have a country, teachers will not be there. Teachers are important but are not alone. They are part of the package," he noted.

He further advised them to wait a while as the government looks for more funds in the near future to address the issue of salary enhancement of public servants.

The First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Janet Museveni, was happy to note that the series of meetings so far conducted has yielded fruits with government's recent release of Shs.150 billion to the education sector. She thanked the government for the efforts to finding a lasting solution to the issue of salary enhancement.

The Uganda National Teachers' Union (UNATU) on it's part commended the government for the efforts towards resolving the issue of salaries in the education sector.

In a memorandum read by the Union's General Secretary, Baguma Gilbert Bates, the meeting thanked President Museveni and the government for the willingness to provide a platform for the teaching fraternity to address there challenges.

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