By Mercy Agumenaitwe,
NATIONAL
Today, the minister of education and Sports Janet Kataha Museveni is meeting with UNATU leaders to agree on the way forward over the ongoing teachers’ strike. But, Filbert Baguma Bates, the union’s Secretary General insists that they won’t resume teaching until their demands are reached.
“We got the invitation and we are going there. However, our stand is very clear,” Baguma said
He was responding to a question on whether they (UNATU officials) are going to attend today’s meeting with the officials from the ministry of education.
On Wednesday, the minister for public service Hon Muruli Mukasa said that the first lady also education minister Janet Kataha Museveni was going to meet teacher today Friday 17th May over the ongoing strike.
It should be recalled that UNATU announced a nationwide strike of all teachers after they unanimously ratified the resolution of the standing committee thst sat on May 23 to enter into an industrial action.
According Filbert Baguma, the tachers are striking due to the lack of a satisfactory feedback from the government regarding issues pertaining to teachers’ salary increment across the board.
At the reading of the national budget on Tuesday, the minister of finance Matia Kasaija said he had allocated over Sh400 billions to enhance salaries and wages os scientists including healthworkers, science teachers, among others.
However, the arts teachers were left out. This according to UNATU creates discriminations in enhancing salaries of teachers. They demand that governments gives equal pay to all teachers.
The nationwide teachers strike has today entered a third day although many science teachers across the country have reportedly not participated
Science teachers accuse UNATU leadership of attempting to block all government plans aiming at giving them salary increment disassociating themselves from the ongoing strike
Ramadan Katende, the chief mobilizer of Uganda Professional Science Teachers Union for Buganda (central) region said science teachers are not participating in the strike but asked government to also consider enhancing salaries of arts teachers so as they can resume to teach.
