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Stakeholders, leaders, and educationists from Tooro sub-region have urged the government to address disparities in the current salary structure for secondary school teachers and consider enacting a new policy on staff retention to prevent early retirements.

During consultations with officials from the Education Policy Review Commission, which began on Monday and is set to end today, leaders emphasised the need for a new macro policy framework for the Ministry of Education and Sports. This framework aims to replace the outdated 1992 government White Paper on Education.

Mr Everest Niyonzima, the inspector of schools for Kyenjojo District, said many teachers are demotivated due to the different pay scales, especially where science teachers earn more than their arts counterparts. Mr Niyonzima said this has led some teachers to leave the profession.

“We all attended the same schools and serve the same Ugandan public. Why does the government segregate teachers when it comes to payment? Should art teachers be forced to switch to science just to earn a fair wage?” he said.

Kyenjojo District Chief Administrator Asman Masereka said despite salary enhancements for science teachers and health professionals, some of them are choosing to retire early at the age of 45, leaving districts with a shortage of civil servants.

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