Arts Teachers’ Union Threatens to Resume Strike Over Salary Harmonization Delay

National: The Uganda Professional Humanities Teachers’ Union (UPHTU) has warned government that Arts and Humanities teachers may resume industrial action if the presidential directives on salary harmonization and other welfare commitments are not implemented in the ongoing 2026/2027 to 2030/2031 budgeting process.

In a letter dated March 11, 2026, addressed to the Minister of Public Service, the union said it had noted with concern that the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development did not allocate any funds for Arts and Humanities teachers during the current budget planning.

The union’s president, Akello Teopista, said the issue arose during an interministerial meeting held on March 10, 2026 at the Ministry of Public Service boardroom chaired by the Permanent Secretary.

UPHTU leaders reminded government of the resolutions made during a meeting held at State House Entebbe on June 30, 2025 between the union’s National Executive Council and President Gen. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni.

According to the union, the president pledged and directed government to harmonize salaries of Arts teachers with those of their science counterparts in four phases, beginning with a 25 percent increment of the target pay starting in the 2026/2027 financial year.

The meeting also agreed on other measures including an immediate reduction in Pay As You Earn (PAYE), a government grant of 20 billion shillings to the UPHTU SACCO to support Arts and Humanities teachers, scholarships for four biological children of teachers, and construction of staff houses beginning in the 2026/2027 financial year.

However, the union says any deviation from these commitments will not be accepted.

Akello warned that failure by government to honor the agreed directives will leave teachers with no option but to revoke the suspended industrial action that had been halted on June 30, 2025.

Copies of the letter were sent to the Speaker of Parliament, the Prime Minister, the Head of Public Service and Secretary to the Cabinet, the Minister of Education and Sports, as well as several permanent secretaries and workers’ Members of Parliament.