Candidates and learners in lower classes across the country have been left stranded as the strike by arts teachers enters its fourth week, with pupils in rural Teso Sub-region resorting to fishing in swamps as teachers stay away from their duty stations.
The arts teachers, under their labour union, the Uganda National Teachers’ Union (Unatu), laid down their tools on September 15, protesting what they termed as a breach of trust by the government over unfulfilled promises made in 2022 to enhance their salaries.
The government’s failure to honour the pledges has left thousands of pupils in both primary and secondary schools idle as teachers continue their industrial action, demanding fair remuneration amid the rising cost of living.
In Soroti District, striking teachers on Tuesday staged a demonstration at the district administration block over non-payment of their salaries for the past six months. The newly recruited teachers now want immediate payment of their arrears for the months of April to September 2025.
Mr Moses Opama, a teacher at Amoroto Primary School, said he had not received his salary for the last six months.
‘We are frustrated and struggling to survive,’ he said. Ms Betty Anyait, a teacher at Katine Primary School, expressed similar concerns, saying: ‘We are going through a lot. Life has become unbearable without pay.’ However, the Soroti District Education Officer, Mr James Oede, said his role is limited to receiving and deploying teachers, while issues of salary payments are handled by the human resource department.
Seventeen-year-old Ben Aisu, a Primary Seven candidate at Odudui Primary School, about 17 kilometres north of Soroti City, told this paper that since the term began, they had only seen teachers twice.
‘We have been left to handle the third term on our own. There is basically no guidance in these last days as we prepare to sit for our Primary Leaving Examinations,’ Aisu said.
Mr Robert Okalang, a resident of Koena Sub-county in Bukedea District, said the government would have to take full responsibility if pupils and students fail their exams.
‘All schools are deserted, and the pupils are at home. The situation is appalling,’ he said.
He added: ‘It is high time the number of MPs is reduced so that money can be saved for teachers. Imagine, even the President passed through the hands of teachers, yet their plight is ignored. How do you expect teachers to survive on Shs300,000 or Shs500,000 a month when politicians drive cars worth Shs200 million, all funded by taxpayers?’
Ms Rachael Akello, a parent whose child is in Primary Seven at Kichinjaji Primary School in Soroti City, said she was worried about her son’s performance in the forthcoming national exams.
‘The strike has disrupted his learning routine, and I am concerned it will affect his grades. The government needs to find a solution quickly,’ she said.
Soroti District chairman Simon Peter Edoru said the district would convene meetings with school leaders to discuss possible solutions to the strike. He noted that the prolonged industrial action is ‘ultimately harming the learners.’
Similarly, the Assistant Resident City Commissioner of Soroti City, Mr Stephen Omoding Eupa, warned that although teachers would eventually receive their salaries, pupils would struggle to recover the lost time.
The Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) for Soroti District, Mr Elly Piwang, said he had asked head teachers to mobilise their colleagues to return to classrooms, warning that continued absenteeism would have dire effects on academic performance.
‘We already had a sharp decline in performance even before the strike. This time we are even more worried,’ he said.
During a meeting convened by Mr Piwang, only 29 of the 69 government-aided schools were represented by their head teachers.
Mr Moses Emadu, a member of the head teachers’ association, said the strike was largely driven by salary disparities.
The Unatu Soroti District chairperson, Ms Sarah Alum, said no one could compel teachers to resume work except their general secretary. In Ntoroko District, the head teacher of Umoja Primary School said the school had remained closed since the term began, as no teachers were reporting for duty.
‘Being at school alone without teachers doesn’t make sense. I had to close the school. All pupils are at home, and our supervisors are also on strike. The government must address this issue immediately,’ he said.
Mr Alex Kitege, the head teacher of Makondo Primary School and the chairperson of all primary school head teachers in Ntoroko, confirmed that all 37 Government-aided schools in the district remain closed.
‘At my school, even the nursery section has closed. We shall reopen only when our association leaders instruct us to. For now, all children are at home,’ he said.
Mbale
In Mbale City, Unatu chairperson Christopher Majeme said they were receiving threats from the Resident City Commissioner’s office to return to school but they would not yield.
‘Teachers are still at home until the government gives a positive response. That is our bottom line,’ he said.
He added that local authorities were also calling and intimidating teachers, ordering them to resume their duties. ‘There is no teaching going on in any government school,’ Mr Majeme added.
Kagadi
In Kagadi District, Mr Solomon Musinguzi, the head teacher of Ngala Primary School and the Unatu branch chairperson, accused the government of ‘turning a deaf ear’ to teachers’ concerns.
‘Nobody is willing to go back to class until our demands are fulfilled,’ he said.
At Muhooro Primary School, pupils were found conducting lessons on their own after their head teacher, Ms Grace Kyomukama, was cautioned for reportedly teaching during the strike.
‘We may not reach our target grades because much of the syllabus had not been covered before the strike began,’ one pupil said.
Mbarara
In Mbarara City, Mr Bobs Atwiine, a teacher at Mbarara Day Care Nursery and Primary School, said: ‘Most teachers are intimidated to report to school, but even those who do are not teaching. The presence of a teacher in class doesn’t mean they are teaching. Let the government address our issues.’
Across the West Nile Sub-region, classrooms in government schools remain locked, effectively sending learners into an unplanned holiday. Ms Loyce Anguko, a parent in Arua City said: ‘Why is the government not listening to the plight of teachers? Our children are suffering while officials look on. Many of us cannot afford private schools, which is why we depend on government schools.’ Former Terego County MP and ANT politician, Mr Kassiano Wadri, criticised the ruling government for its inaction. ‘If Museveni cannot enhance salaries for civil servants, then what gains is the NRM protecting? Civil servants do the donkey work in our communities, they deserve better pay,’ he said. In Yumbe District, the Unatu branch chairperson, Mr Robert Angoliga, said the industrial action would continue until the government resolved salary disparities.
‘We care about the children’s education, but we need the government to act. Once the issue is resolved, we shall resume teaching,’ he said. He cautioned schools against relying on non-governmental organsations and Parents Teachers’ Association-funded teachers. ‘They are too few to handle more than 1,000 learners. If the learners’ education suffers, the government should take responsibility,’ he warned.
Kabale
The Kabale Unatu national chairperson, Mr Zadock Tumuhimbise, who also heads Bufuka Primary School in Kabale District, said the strike would go on until their grievances are addressed.
‘Our silence must end now. Let the empty classrooms speak for us and the deserted compounds shout louder to the government. We shall not return until the 2018 collective bargaining agreement is fulfilled,’ he said. Mr Tumuhimbise further explained that the current strike stems from broken government commitments dating back to September 2022.
‘Before resuming the strike, Unatu held a special meeting with all district representatives. The resolution was clear-teachers would resume their industrial action from 15 September 2025,’ he said. ‘The strike is still on. Teachers must remain resilient until the government gives us a positive response,’ he added.
He also noted that Unatu had not received any feedback from key stakeholders, including the Ministry of Public Service. The Kabale Diocese Secretary for Education, Mr Remegio Byamukama, said preparations for Primary Seven candidates had stalled.
‘Most parents cannot afford private teachers, and our efforts to convince teachers to return have failed. We appeal to the government to quickly resolve the matter,’ he said. Last month, the Minister of Education and Sports, Ms Janet Museveni, who is also the First Lady, promised that salaries for both arts and science teachers would be increased if the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) retained in power in the forthcoming elections. She made the remarks during the launch of Mr Museveni’s re-election campaign at Kololo, Kampala, urging the striking teachers to return to class.
Pay
Graduate science teachers earn a gross salary of Shs4m, taking home Shs2.8m after tax. Graduate arts teachers take home between Shs 672,000 and Shs 754,600. Diploma-science teachers earn about Shs1.54m net. Their arts counter -parts earn between Shs521,500 and Shs 548,800
Determined. ‘Our silence must end now. Let the empty classrooms speak for us and the deserted compounds shout louder to the government. We shall not return until the 2018 collective bargaining agreement is fulfilled,’ Mr Zadock Tumuhimbise, the Kabale Unatu national chairperson.