Muzeyi Faizo - head of media and communications at UPC party. Courtesy photo.
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UPC wants the government to “explore all avenues” to resolve the industrial action.
By Our Reporter
Kampala – June 29, 2022: Teachers on the government payroll are yet to resume work following unfulfilled promises by the NRM government to enhance their pay.
Arts teachers have found it logically wise to avoid classrooms and chalk after their colleagues – science teachers were promised enhanced pay.
For some weeks now, the affected teachers who feel unwanted by the government have got the backing of the population and their leaders under the Uganda National Association of Teachers Union (UNATU).
Politically, Uganda People Congress (UPC) party has warned the NRM government from intimidating arts teachers – or teachers in general.
UPC wants the government to “explore all avenues to resolve the industrial action” and called on the government to dialogue with teachers to iron out issues that should stall industrial harmony.
The party’s head of media and communications, Muzeyi Faizo said Uganda, like the rest of the world, is coming from the Covid-19 pandemic and its lockdowns for a period of two years.
“The re-opening of schools meant teaching and learning especially with an abridged curriculum at all levels, which is not an easy task where teachers had to be first inducted,” he added.
Faizo noted that now the best hope which is there today is that the government is dealing with workers (teachers) who are unionized with established leadership and membership. “This demands continuous engagement, which is protracted between government and union leaders of teachers.”
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According to him, it is normal for the talks to break down or not to come up with an immediate positive alternative depending on the matter, but what is important is the spirit of dialogue and avoiding extreme positions while creating more opportunities for engagement.
“UPC, therefore, discourages any forms of intimidation to teachers as it may worsen the situation that would be resolved amicably,” he conveyed UPC’s message to the government.
UPC also said it has learned that the government has invited the Uganda National Teachers Union (UNATU) for further talks as far as the industrial action of teachers is concerned.
“As a party, we welcome such initiatives and that is what the government ought to have done in the first place as opposed to issuing out threats and warning statements.”
