Parliament of Uganda – Leader of the Opposition in Parliament (LoP), Joel Ssenyonyi, has called on the Ugandan government to urgently address the growing salary disparities between arts and science teachers, warning that continued inaction risks deepening division within the country’s education system.
Speaking during plenary this afternoon, Ssenyonyi strongly condemned what he termed as “unfair discrimination” in the treatment of arts teachers, many of whom have gone on strike demanding equal pay.
He also warned government officials against intimidating the striking teachers, urging dialogue and respect for their legitimate grievances.
“Just like the pay of science teachers was improved, the same should happen for arts teachers,” Ssenyonyi stated in his post on X.
“Additionally, the government should not intimidate the arts teachers who are on strike; instead, their concerns should be addressed very soon.”
Since 2022, government-employed science teachers have enjoyed significantly higher salaries, while arts teachers, teaching subjects like literature, history, economics, and religious studies, have remained on the lower end of the pay scale.
This disparity has triggered widespread frustration among arts educators, many of whom say they feel undervalued and disrespected despite carrying equal teaching loads.
Ssenyonyi’s statement adds more weight to the growing public pressure on the government to harmonize teacher salaries. His intervention comes just hours after State Minister for Higher Education Dr. John Chrysestom Muyingo said that the government was holding “cordial negotiations” with the teachers’ unions.
But opposition leaders are growing impatient with what they call delayed justice and bureaucratic stalling.
“The role of Parliament is to keep the government in check,” Ssenyonyi reiterated. “This isn’t just about wages, it’s about justice and dignity for all educators.”
The strike has already disrupted learning across several secondary and tertiary institutions, with students left idle and exams potentially hanging in limbo. Education experts warn that if unresolved, the crisis could affect national academic performance and compound post-COVID learning recovery setbacks.
Civil society groups, teacher unions, and student bodies have joined the chorus urging the government to resolve the dispute fairly and urgently.
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