The former Minister without portfolio Hajj Abdul Nadduli has said President Yoweri Museveni is the root cause of the ongoing teacher’s industrial action.
Commenting on the ongoing arts teachers’ industrial action on Media Choice television (YouTube Channel), Nadduli faulted President Museveni for his discriminatory move of enhancing salaries of sciences teachers at the expense of their arts colleagues.
“I want to ask him a question from the 6th. February. 1981 up to 26th January 1986, did he win the war with scientists?” the NRA bush war hero inquired.
Nadduli added that the policy of segregating teachers is too devilish because they are all the same.
“Is there a school which only teaches sciences? There is nearly no difference between the two, they must work together. Therefore, if it comes to salary allocation or increment and you give science teachers Shs4m and then give art teachers Shs800,000, I will call it an intention of weakening our country.”
Last year in August, government through the cabinet passed a resolution increasing salaries for scientists including science teachers whose salaries are likely to shoot to the range of Shs3-4m monthly.
According to President Museveni, the proposal of salary enhancement for scientists and science teachers is in line with the National Development Plan III (NDPIII 2020/2025), which focuses on enhancing value addition as a key in sectors such as Agriculture, Tourism, Minerals, ICT, Oil and Gas and Knowledge that have the highest potential to generate employment and positive multiplier effect on other sectors.
However, Nadduli disagrees with President Museveni’s saying that all teachers are equally needed and play a vital role in one accord as far as national development is concerned.
“Suppose your children are doing sciences and arts, do you only feed those doing sciences? If the answer is no, then why do you want to segregate the teachers that teach them. The idea of segregation is eating up Museveni’s government. For example, there are many government positions that are occupied by people from one tribe, as if they are the only people with potential. That is what my younger brother wants to bring in education. It’s too unfair.”
On 15th June, 2022, arts teachers across the country decided to lay down their working tools until government considers their salary enhancement demands. Although there have been talks between government and the teachers’ leadership, the two parties are yet to reach a common ground.
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