Arts and humanities teachers across Uganda are set to return to the classroom today after calling off a three-week-long strike, following a high-level meeting with President Museveni on Monday, June 30.
The industrial action, which began on June 6, had paralyzed learning in many schools nationwide, with concerns mounting over disruptions to this year’s Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB) assessment schedules.
Efforts by senior government officials, including First Lady and Education Minister Janet Museveni, to persuade the teachers to resume work had initially failed.
However, the breakthrough came after a meeting between the President and the leadership of the arts teachers’ union at State House.
In a statement shared after the meeting, President Museveni acknowledged the teachers’ grievances over salary disparities between Arts and Science educators, and urged for cooperation in building long-term solutions.
“I met with the leaders of the Arts and Humanities teachers to discuss their industrial action regarding low pay,” Museveni said.
“During the war, we prioritised feeding the soldiers on guard duty to ensure everyone’s safety. This teamwork enabled us to persevere.”
He drew parallels between wartime resource prioritization and the current salary structure, suggesting that just as the military once accepted phased improvements, teachers too could work with government on sustainable reforms.
“We can develop collective solutions for Arts teachers, similar to what we implemented for soldiers,” he continued. “This includes building homes for teachers and ensuring their children study for free, as well as implementing a phased 25% pay increase.”
The President also cited the historic example of the judiciary, which began its salary improvements with a Shs 3.5 million monthly payment to the Chief Justice.
“Upon our return, we explored ways to thrive despite low wages, beginning with a payment of Shs 3.5 million to the Chief Justice, making him the highest earner,” Museveni explained.
He concluded by confirming that the teachers had agreed to return to work and resume their duties.
“I encouraged them to return to work and collaborate with the government for a better future, which they obliged to. They will resume classes and begin marking UNEB assessments tomorrow.”
According to data from the Uganda National Teachers’ Union (UNATU), the current salary structure reveals a significant gap between Arts and Science educators.
An Arts teacher with a degree earns a gross monthly salary of Shs1,078,162, taking home Shs841,931 after statutory deductions.
In contrast, Science teachers at the same qualification level earn up to Shs4 million gross, with a take-home pay of Shs2,858,000.
Diploma-holding Arts teachers earn Shs784,214 gross monthly, far below the Shs2.2 million earned by their Science counterparts.
Although the government has previously pledged to harmonize salaries across disciplines, no definitive timeline has been communicated for closing the long-standing gap a key issue that prompted the strike.
