Pallisa, Soroti teachers continue strike

Pallisa.

Following government failure to agree with the teachers’ demand of 10 per cent salary increment, Uganda National Teachers Union Pallisa branch has called on teachers in the district to continue with their industrial action.

Pallisa District Unatu chairperson John Arikod Oporut yesterday disclosed to Daily Monitor that their meeting in Kampala with government on Thursday yielded nothing.

“Government has refused to reflect the 10 per cent teachers salary rise this financial year and instead pledges to give 12 per centnext financial year, an argument that has brought disagreement between government and the teachers union,”Mr Oporut said.

According to Mr Oporut, the strike now becomes indefinite and will only be called off after logical conclusions in favour of teachers are drawn.

Do not be intimidated
He cautioned teachers not to entertain any intimidation but should stick to Unatu’s directives.

In Soroti District, most of the government-aided schools, especially in the rural areas, have completely remained closed unlike in urban areas where some pupils have been seen playing at their school compound, though there is no teaching going on.

A meeting convened recently by Soroti District education officer Everest Okello of all the head teachers in primary schools to discuss the issue of the strike, failed to come up with workable solutions as some headteachers told the DEO to wait for the outcome of the Unatu meeting.

Some head teachers who declined to be named told Daily Monitor that most of them were waiting for a final communication from Unatu.