The Hoima East Division Deputy Resident City Commissioner, William Donanto Kasigazi has given a two days ultimatum to science teachers in the city to forego the ongoing nationwide industrial action and return to classes.
He said the teachers should resume with their teaching duties, assuring them that government is working around the clock to solve their grievances.
Kasigazi however warned that if they fail to heed to his advice, he will be forced to take tough action against them.
To say this, the DRCC was on Monday morning monitoring and inspecting all government primary and secondary schools within Hoima East Division in Hoima City.
Kasigazi requested the science teachers to shun the ongoing nationwide industrial action, stressing that it was the President’s idea to increase salaries for science teachers not a demand from teachers therefore they should be patient as the owner of the idea and government work on that issue which will be sorted in the near future.
He also reminded teachers that the government did not forget them during the two years of Covid-19 and they kept receiving their salaries even when they were not teaching.
Kasigazi further noted that if they fail to report to school in two days, he will call for a meeting with the city principal education officer and all headteacher and make a pronouncement that will see many of them scrapped off government payroll.
He wondered how these teachers will compensate children who have gone two weeks without studying science subjects in the name of demanding for salary increment.
At Kitara secondary school, Patrick Zahura, the school head teacher said a few science teachers reported while others have since decided to join their colleagues across the country and lay down their tools over an unfulfilled salary increment pledge by the government.
Some of the students studying science students, especially candidates, have expressed their mixed reactions saying the strike is going to affect their performance.
Meanwhile, during an inspection, Kasigazi found out that most parents are no longer giving food to their school children.
He therefore issued a warning to parents who deliberately neglect their responsibilities.
Recently, teachers from the entire Bunyoro region who were holding placards containing the message of their grievances announced how they had resolved to join the ongoing industrial action after learning that the Shillings 111 billion which was earmarked to enhance their salaries had disappeared from the budget framework paper.
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