Africa-Press – Uganda. Teachers under the Uganda Liberal Teachers’ Union are displeased with the delayed fulfilment of the presidential pledge of Shs20 billion to support three teachers’ Saccos in the country.
In an interview, Mr Evans Kaganizo Mutesasira, the president general of Uganda Liberal Teachers’ Union, appealed to the government to fast track the release of the fund to bail out teachers from economic hardship.
“Government should fulfil the presidential pledge so that teachers can be bailed out of the economic hardship because if it is delayed, then the money will cause no change like the Shs25 billion earlier given to teachers unions by the government in 2016,” Mr Mutesasira said.
Mr Mutesasira, however, urged the government through the Ministry of Education, and the Ministry of Finance, to release the Shs20 billion that President Museveni pledged during last year’s World Teachers’ Day celebrations at Kololo Independence grounds.
He added that once the money is released, it will uplift the standard of living of the teachers in the country despite the discrepancy in the salary scale for science and arts teachers in the region.
“Teachers are the poorest persons in the community yet they are the most educated. The government needs to help us and send us the money to the three Saccos to support us,” Mr Mutesasira said.
Further, Mr Mutesasira said teachers in Uganda do not have a living wage but only a token of appreciation given to them at the end of every month and it is the main reason as to why some teachers are running out of the country and their profession.
Ms Beatrice Adong, an arts teacher at Gulu High School in Gulu City, told this publication that most of the teachers have lost hope in doing their jobs because of the meagre salary and resources they get out of their work.
“We had lost hope in doing our profession. But today, I have gained some hope with this coming together under one umbrella of Uganda Liberal Teachers Union, which will help us to address numerous challenges,” Ms Adong said.
Ms Adong said the government should come in to support them with some sponsorship of their children, especially in the schools where they are teaching, to offload the fees burden from them.
“We do not have any work benefit, but if the government can come up with a policy to sponsor even only two of our children in the school where we teach, it will motivate us to do our job better,” Ms Adong said.
Mr Francis Komakech Oketch, a teacher from Rackoko Comprehensive Secondary School, noted that the government should ensure that these teachers’ Saccos are well-funded to ensure the uplift of the economic status of teachers.
He said the challenge that teachers have been facing is the leadership of the different unions and teachers’ organisations, which have failed teachers at some point.
“Our major challenge has been the leadership problem which has caused us a lot of harm. I think the government can support our Saccos to bail us out of the financial and economic crisis,” Mr Komakech said.
Mr Simon Komakech Acaye, the coordinator of Uganda Liberal Teachers’ Union for the Acholi Sub-region, said teachers should focus on other income generating activities amidst the meagre salary they are being paid.
Mr Acaye added that the union has formed a Sacco to help its members get financial support to enhance their earnings and improve their economic status in the community.
Procedure
Mr Jim Mugunga, the Finance ministry spokesperson, said: “The principle is, when pledges are made, we must honour them. That depends on the available resources. Sometimes we honour them immediately when the resources are available, sometimes we work towards generating the resources so that we honour them.”
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