Lango schools disrupted as Arts teachers join pay protest
A teacher at Wisdom High School, a private institution in Akalo Sub-county, Kole District, conducts a Geography lesson for Senior Four students on Tuesday, June 10, 2025, as public school teachers staged a nationwide strike over salary disparities. PHOTO | PATRICK EBONG
What you need to know:
- At government-aided schools like Lango College and Lira Town College, only science teachers remained in class.
Arts teachers across Uganda’s Lango sub-region have joined a countrywide sit-down strike, protesting the government’s failure to address salary disparities between science and humanities educators.
The indefinite industrial action, spearheaded by the Uganda Professional Humanities Teachers Union (UPHTU), took effect Tuesday after a 90-day ultimatum to the government expired without response.
“We had submitted our budget of Shs 648.3 billion meant to enhance the salary of non-science workers in the public service. It reached Parliament, then the Executive—where it ended,” said Ms Topiesta Akello, UPHTU president.
She said the government had ignored earlier calls for negotiation, despite the union's letter to the Ministry of Public Service in November 2024 and a phased salary plan in the 2024/25 budget.
“So, we gave the government an ultimatum of 90 days. If this money wasn’t reflected in the 2025/26 budget, we would lay down our tools—and this is what we have done,” Ms Akello said.
At government-aided schools like Lango College and Lira Town College, only science teachers remained in class. “They gave us a letter last week and none of the arts teachers reported on Tuesday,” said Mr Sammy Bob Okino, regional chairperson of the Association of Secondary Schools Headteachers of Uganda.
Private schools have voiced solidarity.
“We don’t discriminate in pay between sciences and arts. Our teachers are not disgruntled,” said Mr Ambrose Ogwal, director of Wisdom High School in Kole District.
But concerns are growing over how the strike is affecting morale and student learning.
“There’s now a sharp division between science and arts teachers, even in how they talk and associate,” said Mr John Augustus Okware, head of Mentor Secondary School. “It has caused disparities and affected relationships.”
Mr John Michael Elweu, UPHTU’s regional coordinator, said arts teachers have been sidelined since 2022. “We were told to wait for the next financial year—2026/27. That’s unacceptable,” he said.
Mr Robert Apita, UPHTU’s regional secretary, said the strike will only end when government enhances salaries. “Even if it takes a week, a month, or the whole term, I’ll support the action,” he said.
Government officials have yet to publicly respond, although President Museveni has previously dismissed the arts teachers’ appeals on multiple occasions.
