KAMPALA, UGANDA – The Kabale District Woman Representative, Hon. Catherine Ndamira, challenged the state’s logic in refusing to raise teachers’ salaries while simultaneously promising a massive new recruitment drive.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!The debate was triggered by a declaration from the Minister of Public Service, Muruli Mukasa, who stated that “there is no money to increase teachers’ salaries,” citing severe budgetary constraints.
Hon. Ndamira questioned the government’s priorities following Minister Mukasa’s revelation of a tight fiscal environment, with only 31% of the national budget funded by domestic revenue.
She wondered how an administration that claims it cannot afford a pay raise for its existing teaching workforce can possibly facilitate the pay for an additional 50,000 teachers it has promised to recruit.
“Of recent, the President said it clearly that the government is to recruit 50,000 teachers, and you are here lamenting that even those who are already in service don’t have their pay. Who is confusing who? And where are you taking the government?” Ndamira demanded.
She also expressed concern that the government might be purposefully failing children in its own schools, as officials send their own children to private ones.
In response, Minister Muruli Mukasa insisted that there was no confusion and assured MPs that the 50,000 teachers are still scheduled for recruitment in the 2026/27 financial year, with pay provisions included in the upcoming budget.
He firmly stated that no striking teachers would be fired and that they would receive their full pay for the strike period, confirming that the government can and will pay them, with the only remaining issue being the final amount.
The Minister informed legislators that the government remains committed to a 25% salary increase next year but stated that the teachers’ demand for a 300% raise is not feasible.
Defending the government’s record, Mukasa revealed that teachers are among the minority of public servants who have received pay rises since 2014.
He noted that primary teachers have seen their monthly pay increase from UGX 200,000 to over UGX 600,000 since 2019, while science teachers can earn up to UGX 4 million.
Hon. Pius Wakabi of Bugahya County also pointed to the practical impact of the strike, asking what he should tell constituents whose children are at home.
Hon. Isaac Modoi of Lutseshe County questioned the government’s approach to the underlying salary disparities, suggesting that a holistic harmonisation of pay could resolve many of the recurring hitches.
The Minister Mukasa further indicated that the Ministry of Finance is scrutinising a proposal to waive Pay As You Earn (PAYE) taxes for teachers, a move that would effectively increase their take-home pay, alongside the plan for educational sponsorships.
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