By Admin
Ats and Humanity teachers under their umbrella body Uganda Art Teachers Association (UATA) have called off their nationwide industrial action.
This follows the high-level meeting between President Museveni and Minister for Education and Sports Janet Katah Museveni with leaders of the striking Arts and Humanities teachers held at State House on Monday.
Speaking after the engagement, the President confirmed that he had met with representatives of the National Executive Committee (NEC) and sub-regional coordinators of the teachers’ union to directly address concerns around poor remuneration and working conditions.
In his remarks, President Museveni invoked the wartime spirit, comparing the current challenges faced by teachers to the hardship endured by soldiers during the liberation struggle.
He noted that just as soldiers survived by prioritizing essentials and standing together in unity, so too can teachers and government find ways to thrive even with limited resources.
“We had very little during the war, but we survived by working together and prioritizing those on the frontline,” Museveni said. “When we came back, we started by giving the Chief Justice a salary of Shs3.5 million ,the highest at the time. We survived, and we progressed.”
The President pledged to apply the same strategic planning to improve the welfare of teachers, especially those in the Arts and Humanities disciplines who have long complained of salary disparities compared to their counterparts in the sciences.
The President outlined a series of government interventions, including;- construction of housing for teachers across the country, guaranteed access to free education for their children and phased 25 percent salary increment.
He called on the teachers to resume work and continue partnering with the government to build a better Uganda.“I urged them to return to class and resume their duties. I am happy to report that they accepted and will start teaching and marking UNEB assessments beginning tomorrow,” Museveni confirmed.
In a detailed statement issued on Monday evening, Akello Topista, President of the teachers’ Union, confirmed that the strike had been suspended following positive resolutions reached during the meeting with the President.According to Akello, the following decisions were made, 10 percent tax waiver was granted to teachers, which translates into a 20 percent salary enhancement for the current financial year.
Additional incentives will be introduced for the teaching fraternity.
The remaining 25 percent salary increment will be factored into the 2026/2027 financial year budget.
The union also raised concern over allegations that a former teachers’ union is still illegally holding onto their member subscription fees.
The President advised that the matter be immediately taken up with the Ministry of Public Service for resolution.“In light of these developments, I hereby suspend the industrial action as we await the completion of internal processes,” Akello said. “We will continue to update our members on all progress made.”
The decision brings to an end weeks of tension in Uganda’s education sector that had disrupted classroom learning and delayed key assessment activities.
The teachers’ strike had gained widespread attention, with growing public pressure on the government to address long-standing salary inequalities between Arts and Science teachers.
The decision by Art teachers to call of the strike sets the stage for what the President described as “a new era of collaboration” between government and educators.
With the resumption of classes and UNEB marking activities set to begin, thousands of learners across the country can now return to their academic programs, while the government begins the process of delivering on its promises to the teaching profession.
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