Government should carefully study the grievances of teachers of arts subjects and devise sustainable and realistic solutions, Speaker Anita Among has directed.
Primary teachers and teachers of arts in government-aided schools across the country went on a sit-down strike on 15 June 2022, protesting what they called ‘discriminatory’ salary increment in favour of the teachers of science subjects.
“We want to understand this kind of inequality. Not all of us are science people, but we are here. We all feel for the teachers and we must take action on this,” Among said.
In her communication during plenary sitting on Tuesday, 05 July 2022, Among asked the Prime Minister to make a statement on government’s intervention to harmonise salaries of teachers.
“We need to have realistic immediate, medium and long- term intervention so that we can be able to resolve these issues, not doing things in an ad-hoc way,” she said.
She also urged teachers to resume their duties, as government devises sustainable remedies.
“We know what it means. It is not an easy thing but I believe government is looking into it. We will stand with the teachers to ensure we support them but mindful of the conditions in the country. We request that you go back and do your noble duty to support the young ones.
Speaker Among added that Parliament will continue holding government accountable for their undertakings and resolutions.
Dokolo district woman MP, Hon. Cecilia Ogwal, cited the need for government to consider equality in salary increment.
“It is not about the arts teachers striking, it is about equality. This is what we need to address and this should be addressed in compliance with the law of Equal Opportunity,” she said.
She said there should be a clear definition as to why there are two structures of salary payment for teachers.
“I am concerned about a situation where the headteacher is an arts teacher and you find the science teacher will earn double the salary of the headteacher. It already creates disparity in the school,” Ogwal said.
The Chief Opposition Whip, Hon. John Baptist Nambeshe, advised Parliament to deter such increments, since there is no Salary and Remuneration Review Commission that is meant to harmonise wages of public servants.
“We should avoid such scenarios that are infringing on rights of workers as per the constitution bill of rights. Equal pay for equal work done is a provision enshrined in our constitution,” Nambeshe said.
He said that the government report on the salary increment should be comprehensive and introduce the Pension Fund Bill for public sector workers.
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