Who exactly benefits from these industrial actions? Most affected are the innocent learners whose cardinal role is to report to class every class day and be taught something they have quite fulfilled unconditionally. Unknown to them is how this constitutional right to education under article 34 (2) gets down to them.
The arts teachers industrial strike which stated on 15th June is stretching into the third week. Government insists they must go back to school by 30th June as a lasting solution towards their salary enhancement is brokered. Failure to do so, implicated teachers will be erased from the government payroll as directed by the Hon. prime minister Robinah Nabbanja and other relevant authorities.
Aggrieved teachers represented by there general secretary, Filbert Baguma under Uganda National Teachers Union (UNATU) insist their industrial action stands not until their salaries are enhanced in respect to that of the science teachers. Government is interpreting this as an obsessive comparison disorder while teachers of arts consider it as an economic injustice and violation of their rights for equal pay for equal work done in the same job family of teachers.
The 24th June ultimatum issued by the PS public service on 22nd June was snubbed on addition to that of 28th June sounded by local government minister Rapheal Magezi. it’s obvious that of June 30th will equally be trashed except if government seeks candid dialogue with striking teachers. This brings yet another elephant in this grissy matter. What if the striking arts teachers refuse getting back to class. what Will government do?
No herdsman has succeeded in forcing a cow to take water at the well or forced milked out of its udder but persuasion can. Mr. Museveni being a herds man as he calls himself shouldn’t be reminded about the obvious.
The president on several occasions has castigated arts subjects as useless and that graduates of arts can hardly solve the country’s problems save for the scientists. Yet he continues to appoint a majority ministers with arts background to serve in his cabinet. So why is government pleading for arts teachers to go back to class and teach subjects the president considers useless? Mindset change on humanities is timely.
Mr. Museveni’s preference for sciences over arts is self defeating in all aspects since he neither pays them well nor effectively funds the subject. The president once told off striking lectures to go and rear goats including those of science if they felt government salary wasn’t commensurate. The NRA cum NRM never included scientists on the 10 point program upon capturing power yet they believe scientists are critical in the country’s rapid economic transformation. Does it require this government 36 years in power to realise or remember the importance science? Where is Mr. Museveni’s will to promote science really?
The president must be practical in promoting sciences by appointing only scientists to cabinet, he can also relinquish his office to a scientist. Science should also take a lions share on the national budget more than state house and security.
In my view, let government strengthen arts because we are already doing well in humanities as a nation. Economic transformation is hinged on doing better what your already good at while improving on areas of weakness. I advise government not to abandoned arts for there crucial role in promoting science. Will the nation have writers, lawyers, accountants, marketers, bankers, diplomats, administrators, designers, entertainers, political scientists to name but a few if we all do science? Its evident science can not survive without arts and therefore needs equal attention. Let government promote science without killing arts for the good of science, one is rain while the other is sunshine.
Forcing teachers back to class is more detrimental than their current industrial action. Teachers can go back to class but technically refuse to teach. One chief Administrative Officer (CAO) is not in position to monitor all teachers in the district. Besides that, teaching is voluntary even when assigned as a duty. The poor results Uganda National Examinations Board releases each year is an indicator teachers could have been on strike way long before it was officially announced. Employees tend to give labour equivalent to the returns on the same even under maximum supervision.
UNATU contends there industrial action is legal adding that its constitutional and a fundamental right to voluntarily withdraw labour when need arises. There is no way teachers can be considered to have abandoned duty yet UNATU officially informed government about there strike.
Baguma has also argued teachers not to yield to government threats but follow only directives from the the teacher’s umbrella body.
Forced labour is criminal, inhuman and unconstitutional under article 25 of the constitution adopted in 1995, and amended in 2005. The employment act also prohibits all forms of forced labour or bonded labour. In accordance with the penal code, any person who unlawfully compels any persons to labour against the will of that person commits a misdemeanor.
According to the international labour organization (ILO) in the forced labour convention, 1930 (No. 29) forced labour is all work or service which is exacted from any person under the threat of penalty and for which the person has not offered himself or herself voluntary.
Government shouldn’t therefore force teachers to teach against there will but rather solve issues rised.
It’s therefore a shame government is in violation of the rule of law to which its accustomed to follow and protect. Government shouldn’t seek shelter under sections of the Uganda public service standing Orders to violate the Uganda constitution, employment act and the ILO by laws.
Its the grass which suffers when two elephants fight. Uganda’s schools were closed longest in the whole world during the Covid19 pandemic and continues to get more setbacks like insufficient funding and teacher strikes even when open. Numerous and literacy levels had considerably fallen not only among learners but teachers due to the long two year school lockdown. Government should consider keeping schools fully open and operational at all costs to reverse these ugly reports.
The mere fact teaching has stopped without arts teachers is an indicator arts play a great role in the education system.
Science teachers should join there arts counterparts to catalyze the process and get a lasting solution instead of calling them back on duty before harmony is restored.
Government must now learn sciences can not exist without arts because of the symbiotic relationship they have. The aftermath of this experience should go down in memory and as a lesson to our leaders.
We wish teachers and government a successful negotiations process in resolving this impasse for the good of Uganda. Dialogue not war is the best solution to conflict resolution.
The writer is a concerned citizen of Uganda
jpkamwada@gmail.com
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