By Sandra Birungi

Teachers, through their body, Uganda National Teachers Union (UNATU) have promised to strike if the issue of salary deduction is not looked into and explained immediately.

Kampala teachers’ representative, Kiseka Experito has called onto the people in authority to meet them as teachers at Bat Valley school on Friday to explain what happened and what they will do about it. “They should come at Bat Valley at 10:00am to explain to the teachers, the way they explain to us as their representatives about what happened. If they fail to do so, we will match up to Public Service,” he said.

According to Joseph Ssewungu Gonzaga, a teacher by profession and MP Kalungu West, some teachers’ payments were reduced by sh50,000 while others by sh150,000 in a no clear format. Other teachers received their salary in full. “We want to know who is behind this. We used to receive pay slips, nowadays we do not receive them. We want to know was the salary increment real or not?” Mr. Gozanga said.

Teachers pressed government to double their pay since 2011 and in July of 2011, teachers, under their umbrella body, the Uganda National Teachers Union (UNATU), striked for two weeks. A 30 percent increment was proposed although they had previously advocated for a 100 percent increment. Other teachers opted for a 50 percent increment. Their salary was increased by 15 percent, something that did not sit well with the teachers but was welcomed as progress. Government promised to increase their salary gradually as time goes on.