Kampala – The belated celebrations for World Teachers’ Day in Uganda, held on 19th October 2024, were supposed to be a joyous occasion. But if you took a good look, you’d think it was half funeral, half wedding. The arts teachers showed up looking like they were attending a burial, while their science counterparts were ready to party like it was 1999!
The Secretary General of Uganda National Teachers’ Union (UNATU), Filbert Baguma, summed it up well: “We looked like guests at two very different events!” The root of the problem? A glaring gap in the paychecks of science and arts teachers.
President Museveni, in his usual calm manner, asked the non-science teachers to “hold their horses.” He promised a salary increment for all, but only when the economy bounces back. Baguma, speaking for the arts teachers, noted that patience is a virtue, but you can’t eat it for dinner.
The arts teachers have been waiting so long for their share of the cake, they’re beginning to think someone hid the oven. But as Museveni promised, when the economy improves, the salary increment will come, like rain in the dry season, eventually.
In the meantime, arts teachers are left hoping that one day, their payday will also come in full measure, pressed down and overflowing, just like their science colleagues’ bank accounts!
However,the question on many teachers’ minds is “How long must we wait for the cow to fatten before grabbing a chunk?”
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