Arts teachers' strike: Address educators’ unequal salary policy
One of the humanities teachers holds a protest poster during their meeting in Masaka City on June 10, 2025. PHOTO/ GERTRUDE MUTYABA
What you need to know:
- The issue: Arts teachers.
- Our view: More assurance needs to be given. An education sector is only as good as its teachers, both science and arts teachers.
In response to Finance Minister Matia Kasaijja’s famous line, “Colleagues, money is coming,” the Uganda Professional Humanities Teachers Union (UPHTU) seems to be asking, “When?”
This comes after repeated disappointment by the government regarding salary increases for arts teachers, which were granted only to their counterparts—science teachers and administrators.
The union, which resolved to begin a sit-down strike on June 6, insists that the government must offer a tangible solution to what they term as unequal and unfair salary treatment.
The dispute dates back to 2022, when the government raised monthly salaries for secondary school science teachers to Shs4 million and science head teachers to Shs6.5 million. Arts teachers and administrators were excluded from this increment, and despite multiple promises, nothing has changed—prompting the strike.
Currently, arts head teachers earn about Shs2.3 million, deputy head teachers Shs1.6 million, graduate teachers around Shs1 million, and diploma holders Shs700,000.
Ms Teopista Akello, the UPHTU president, says the teachers are tired of unfulfilled promises and want immediate action.
In one of our earlier reports, Mr John Baptist Tumusiime, a teacher at St Henry’s College Kitovu in Masaka District, cited multiple issues that worsen the salary inequality. He said arts teachers have limited access to financial services, lack medical insurance, and are excluded from poverty alleviation programs because they are classified as civil servants—yet their take-home pay is negligible.
Teachers say the strike will continue indefinitely until the government takes concrete steps to address the disparities.
The frustration is understandable. Unequal pay within the same profession was bound to create tension and division in the education sector. It was a recipe for disaster. Reports indicate that some head teachers have stopped reporting to work, saying they cannot supervise colleagues who earn more than they do.
This is demotivating and should not be ignored.
While the state minister for Higher Education, Mr John Chrysostom Muyingo, urges teachers to remain patient as the government addresses their concerns in phases, many believe more credible assurances are needed.
An education system is only as strong as its teachers—both science and arts.
