Science tutors call off strike
The General Secretary of the Uganda Professional Science Teachers' Union, Mr Aron Mugaiga (R) and the Union's chairperson, Mr Vincent Elong during a press conference in Kampala in March, 2024. Photo | Jane Nafula
What you need to know:
- This was after the government agreed to reinstate the affected tutors on the science salary scale.
Science tutors in various Primary Teachers Colleges, who commenced their strike on April 3, over what they termed as unfair removal from the science pay scale, have now agreed to suspend their industrial action as directed by the government.
According to a circular issued to tutors by the Uganda Professional Science Teachers Union (UPSTU) on May 3, 2024, the union's secretary-general, Mr Aron Mugaiga, instructed the tutors to resume work with immediate effect.
This was after the government agreed to reinstate the affected tutors on the science salary scale.
“We have been reliably informed that all science tutors are to be reinstated on their rightful pay scale and are therefore expected to receive their due salaries by the end of May 2024,” the circular which was also copied to the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education and Sports, Ms Ketty Lamaro, District Education Officers, and all Principals of Teacher Training Colleges, stated.
“In light of the above, we have reached a decision to suspend the ongoing industrial action by science tutors to allow stakeholders to finalize the reinstatement of all the affected science tutors on their rightful scales,” it further reads.
The decision by tutors to resume work follows the government's request to the affected tutors to call off the strike as the government attempts to address their concerns. Negotiations between the union and the government have been ongoing since the strike began on April 3, 2024.
“The purpose of this letter is to give updates on how the salary for the science tutors in Primary Teachers Colleges is being addressed by the ministries of Education and Public Service. I ask you to call off the ongoing industrial action and allow us time to conclude on this,” Mr Stephen Opio Okiror said on behalf of Public Service Permanent Secretary, Ms Catherine Bitarakwate in a letter, dated April 4.
However, the tutors through their union only agreed to call off their strike after their concern had been addressed.
Mr Mugaiga said that science tutors' salaries were increased from Shs1.2 m to Shs4m for degree holders and from Shs900,000 to Shs2.2m for Diploma holders.
However, some of them were only able to earn that amount between July 2022 and August 2023, after which they were taken back to the old scale.
