East African Gazette
Kampala
Uganda Professional Science Teachers Union have condemned the ministry of public service for reducing their salaries.
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“It was observed that science tutors have been earning a science salary scale since 2014 and were already on an approved science salary scale that was enhanced in 2022.
According to the Circular Standing Instruction (CSI) salary scale,they were removed from the science pay in September 2023.
National Chairperson of the Vincent Elong said in their opinion their removal from the approved paid scales without formal communication was done hurriedly with unfairness.
Elong said for over eight months these science teachers have been going without a salary. He said that if the matter is not resolved, the science tutors will lay down their tools effective 3 April 2024.
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He alluded that the Ministry of Education and Sports wrote them clarifying that Science teachers are scientists (ADM137/155/01).
“With all the correspondence we have made to the Ministry of Public Service, they have deliberately refused to reinstate the salary of affected tutors of Mityana, Ibanda, Hoima City and Bushenyi. In some votes they have already been removed by these elements” he said.
According to the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Education and Sports, Ketty Lamono in her letter dated 23 February 2024 to the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Public Service stated that a person becomes a scientist through upgrading at Diploma level.
“A tutor can specialize in either Arts or Science. One who specializes in science optional, is the one who teaches Integrated Science (Physics, Chemistry and Biology)” Lamono said.
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Further, in her letter she alluded that Home Economics has got cookery, tailoring and netting are already categorized as science as per Established Notice no 2 of 2015.
She said Makerere University already considered Physical Education as a science.
Today teacher salaries have been reduced from 4.5 million to sh1.1 million 2.2 to about sh.9,000.
Salaries are normally paid through a well-organized circular system issued by the permanent Secretary
Since August last year, there was no clear circular which is legal and an active of injustice
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The General Secretary Aron Mugaiga said Science teachers are going through pain and trauma beyond their control. Mugaiga said some of the teachers have acquired loans on the same science salary scales.
“We have reported the matter with public service but no substantive feedback”Mugaiga said.
He said they have written a reminder on the Presidential directive dated 1 July 2023 to enhance salaries of science head teachers and deputies but no positive response.
He explained that they have been following up this matter with the ministry of Education since 2022.
A number of the teachers I talked to said some of them who had registered to be upgraded are undergoing difficulties to meet the cost of managing their families.
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