Why better pay for science teachers is key

Government’s proclamation that it plans to enhance salaries of scientists in the next financial year has sparked unnecessary objection from businesspeople and arts-focused groups.

The new policy targets all scientists, including STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics), Biology, Chemistry, and Physics teachers.

From government’s pronouncement on August 24, STEM teachers were singled out to pilot the pay rise, pushing their earnings above Shs4 million monthly, while arts and primary school teachers will wait for subsequent budgets.

But opponents of the policy seem comfortable with the current salary discrepancies between “scientists” and “non-scientists” in all sectors (police, army, prisons, higher education and civil service, among others).

They are now fiercely opposing the secondary science teachers, arguing that this will destabilise the education sector.

But in my view, equality isn’t the true reason. The truth is that many owners of private schools are terrified of losing profits as STEM teachers in private schools will demand for more pay to suit the government standard.

I even believe it is these people who are inciting some key leaders of Uganda National Teachers Union (Unatu) to oppose the government proposal. 

But to put this into proper perspective, here are some observations.

Averagely, 45 percent of Ordinary and Advanced level candidates fail sciences, compared to about 15 percent for arts every academic year.

Only 10 percent of A-Level learners are science-oriented versus 90 percent for arts. This means in the near future, Uganda might import physicists, including teachers because A-Level learners, even in top schools are abandoning physics.

While there is an argument that sciences are difficult, their learning is compounded by the hectic lesson preparations, execution, follow-up and handling the poor learners’ attitudes, all of which consume more time and energy compared to arts.

Accordingly, more than anything else, teachers’ dedication is negatively impacting science performance in Uganda, especially upcountry.

Much as all new government schools have science equipment, chemicals, textbooks, and teachers, science learners still fail massively but pass arts because teachers abandoned the practical approach. In many schools, learners stare at unused kits as science teachers conduct lessons the easier way – like arts.

From the equity perspective, science teachers deserve higher remuneration if Uganda is to achieve the best science outcomes faster.

The proposed Shs4 million pay will curtail the rampant part-timing through which science teachers earn extra pay.

Subsequently, teacher’s stability on the job and in the profession will improve everywhere, regardless of location of the schools.

From multiple schools, part-timers gather about Shs3 million within Kampala Metropolitan or up-to Shs1.5 million upcountry, but are ineffective and inefficient.

Sadly, where supervision of teaching is vigorous but without reasonable PTA pay, science teachers simply abandon government jobs.

The proposed salary enhancement will increase science learners and improve quality of science teaching, to support the National Development Plan III (2020/2025), whose focus is enhanced value addition in key growth sectors with the highest potential to generate employment.

This is a complete turn-away from the old tradition of promoting humanities and associated “white-collar” graduates such as lawyers, economists, political scientists, administrators, and arts teachers.

F. Dongo-Shema

Mr Frederick Dongo-Shema is the president of the Association of Biology Educators (ABE) in Uganda.

dongo.frederick@yahoo.com