Museveni Promises Arts Teachers Phased Pay Rise as Strike Ends

President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has met with leaders of the Uganda Professional Humanities Teachers’ Union (UPHTU) to address the ongoing nationwide strike over salary disparities.

The meeting, held at State House, resulted in a breakthrough, with the teachers agreeing to resume work and begin marking Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB) assessments immediately.

The strike, which began on June 6, 2025, had paralysed operations in several government institutions, including secondary schools, 23 Primary Teachers’ Colleges, five National Teachers’ Colleges, and Uganda Colleges of Commerce. The teachers, under UPHTU, were protesting what they called “unfair and discriminatory” salary structures, arguing that their science-teaching counterparts receive significantly higher pay despite holding equivalent qualifications.

President Museveni, in a statement shared on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), acknowledged the teachers’ frustrations and drew parallels with the country’s wartime resilience, calling for cooperation and long-term planning.

“During the war, we prioritised feeding the soldiers on guard duty to ensure everyone’s safety. This teamwork enabled us to persevere,” Museveni wrote. “Upon our return, we explored ways to thrive despite low wages, beginning with a payment of Shs 3.5 million to the Chief Justice, making him the highest earner.”

He assured the teachers that the government is willing to pursue collective solutions similar to those implemented for soldiers. These include welfare initiatives such as constructing housing for teachers, offering free education for their children, and implementing a phased 25% salary increment.

“We can develop collective solutions for Arts teachers… I encouraged them to return to work and collaborate with the government for a better future, which they obliged to do. They will resume classes and begin marking UNEB assessments today,” he added.

UPHTU had issued a 90-day ultimatum earlier this year demanding salary harmonisation. When the government failed to meet the deadline, over 10,000 of the country’s 17,000 government-employed arts teachers joined the industrial action. “We demand uniform salary scales for all teachers with equivalent qualifications, regardless of subject specialisation,” UPHTU National Chairperson Teopista Akello had declared.

Godfrey Osenda, Chairperson of the Uganda Professional Humanities Sacco, described the widespread strike as a stand for dignity and fairness in the education sector.

While the strike has now been called off, many teachers and education stakeholders will be watching closely to see if the government’s promised phased salary increment and welfare reforms materialise in the coming financial year, 2025/2026.