Soroti, Uganda | Humanities teachers in the Teso Sub-region have entered the second week of their strike, citing salary discrimination and continued government silence.
The industrial action, led by the Uganda Professional Humanities Teachers Union (UPHTU), has brought teaching of arts subjects such as History, CRE, Literature, and Geography to a complete halt in government-aided secondary schools.
Meeting at Soroti Dairy, union leaders reaffirmed their stance, saying the strike has paralyzed all arts teaching in the region.
They noted that even students in some schools have begun protesting, demanding teachers return to class.
However, UPHTU leaders insisted that teaching would not resume until the government addresses their salary grievances.
According to the union, all legal procedures were followed before the strike began.
A 90-day notice was served under the Labor Unions Act, and three separate engagements with the Ministries of Finance, Education, and Public Service were held but failed to yield results.
The union leadership emphasized that their actions are within the law and that members should not be intimidated by threats of payroll deletions, especially as they are legally represented by multiple lawyers and law firms.
At the centre of the strike is a salary enhancement policy which, according to UPHTU, was initially promised to all graduate teachers but ended up benefiting science teachers exclusively.
As a result, science teachers now reportedly earn almost three times more than their counterparts in the humanities.
UPHTU leadership expressed concern that, since the strike began, there has been total silence from government agencies no letters, no meetings, and no formal response.
Teachers say the pay gap is not only demoralizing but is also creating visible inequality within schools.
In Bukedea District, teachers have observed that science teachers now arrive at school in vehicles, while many humanities teachers cannot even afford bicycles.
This, they argue, is affecting students’ perceptions of arts subjects, with many beginning to view them as less valuable.
In Kapelebyong, some teachers likened the situation to a broken family, arguing that government has favoured one group of teachers over another despite identical qualifications and workloads.
They warned that such segregation is breeding resentment within the education system.
The strike has already had an impact on learning. Attendance in some schools has dropped, and in others, students are growing restless as mock exams approach.
UPHTU leaders remain firm, stating that the strike will continue for as long as necessary even for six months or more if the issue of salary parity is not addressed.
UPHTU was officially registered in May 2023, and its leadership maintains that every aspect of the industrial action has followed the legal framework set by the Labor Unions Act.
Regional strike committees are now working to coordinate stricter enforcement of the work stoppage across districts in Teso.
