There is no supplementary budget, govt tells teachers

The State Minister of Finance in-charge of General Duties, Mr Henry Musasizi, has asked Arts teachers to be patient with the government to plan for their salary increment but not through a supplementary budget.

Mr Musasizi, who was addressing journalists at the sidelines of Uganda Revenue Authority budget breakfast meeting in Mbarara City yesterday, said the government intends to increase the salary of all civil servants. 

“We provided money to enhance salaries of scientists, including Science teachers in secondary schools, and that money was provided for in the budget. When we did that, Arts teachers said we should also be paid,” he said.

The minister added: “We want to enhance salaries for all our civil servants across all ministries because they are all not well paid.”

Mr Musasizi said the government cannot increase salary of civil servants at a go due to resource constraints.

“We decided to do it in a phased manner and in the medium term, we shall have every civil servant’s salary enhanced and we have advised teachers that as we plan for you, in the medium term, you go back to teach,” he said.

The Uganda National Teachers Union secretary general, Mr Filbert Baguma, while appearing on KFM hot seat on June 20, asked the government to table a supplementary budget to cater for salary enhancement for Art teachers. They have been on strike since June15.