(MENAFN- The Journal Of Turkish Weekly) Ugandan primary teachers have decided to suspend a pay strike that had gone on for seven days after reaching an initial agreement with the government.
"After a thorough discussion of government proposals, the teachers' leaders have resolved to suspend the industrial action," James Tweheyo, general secretary of the Uganda National Teachers Union (UNATU), told reporters.
He urged teachers to return to school on Wednesday and resume their teaching activities.
According to the Ministry of Education, there are 126,488 primary school teachers in Uganda's public schools.
"This, however, is on condition that the government does not breach implementation of the conditions set by UNATU," Tweheyo warned.
The government and teachers' representatives have held back-to-back meetings since teachers first went on strike on May 18.
Maj. Gen. Jim Muhwezi, minister for information and national guidance, outlined the government's commitments, which include meeting demands that 25 billion Ugandan shillings for the teachers' Savings and Credit Cooperative Organization (SACCO) be disbursed to € and managed by € the teachers' union.
"Teachers who have been detained due to the ongoing industrial action shall be released with immediate effect," Muhwezi confirmed.
The two sides also agreed that no teachers would be victimized, harassed or intimidated for having participated in the strike.
The government also committed to forming a committee comprising representatives of the Ministry of Education, Science, Technology and Sports; the Ministry of Public Service; the Ministry of Finance; and the teachers' union to identify and advise the government regarding measures aimed at improving the quality of education.
The teachers' union has vowed to continue monitoring the progress of all these commitments.
The union expects the government, by Sept. 30, to have included a 15-percent salary increase in the budget and to fully release the SACCO funds.
-Dissatisfied-
Some teachers, however, voiced dissatisfaction with the deal.
"We have accepted to go back to teaching, but unwillingly," Musinguzi Alex, UNATU chairperson in the western Bushenyi district, told Anadolu Agency.
He said that, since they had missed out on the 10 percent salary increase they had expected this financial year, "we are not very sure that these people who are promising us will be in government by that time".
Alex added: "We are moving into elections" so the other government coming in may say, 'No we didn't make any agreement with you'."
Uganda is scheduled to hold general elections next year.
Ruhweza Joseph, from the Kabarole district, likewise voiced misgivings.
He recalled that, since 2013, when President Yoweri Museveni promised a 50-percent pay raise out of an original demand of 100 percent, the government had yet to make good on its commitment.
"How sure am I now to totally believe that this is going to happen," Joseph asked.
In 2013, when teachers first went on strike, the government promised them 50-percent salary increases spread over a period of three financial years.
The government then granted teachers a 25-percent pay raise in the 2013/14 financial year, with an additional 15 percent in the 2014/15 financial year.
The remaining 10 percent was meant to come into effect in 2015/16. This, however, has yet to be budgeted for, which prompted teachers to declare their recent strike.
During just-concluded negotiations with the government, however, the teachers' union pushed for a 15-percent salary increase, if the money is to be given to them in the 2016/17 financial year.
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.