Teachers in Masindi have told the education policy review commission that salary disparities among science and arts teachers have led to disharmony.
The teachers said because of this disparity, arts teachers are no longer respected by learners and many have lost morale and contemplating early retirement.
Hamidah Birungi, a teacher at Kabalega secondary school noted that ever since the government started the enhancement of science teachers' salary , it has never gone well with arts teachers.
"I know the country has tried to run away from the debate of science, arts salaries but it can never be buried until government comes out and revises the enhancement for even arts teachers. Many of us have lost morale of teaching because to us, looks like government is promoting discrimination yet we all paid money in universities to become teachers," Birungi said
Denis Ahaisibwe, another teacher at Kabalega SS, noted that besides drawing a bigger line in the staff rooms, the students in class equally have no respect for arts teachers.
"While we had adhered to the situation but it's so ashaming that teachers are even losing respect in classes among students who see us as poor compared to the science teachers. Actually, many students are taking art subjects for granted," Ahaisibwe said.
Daniel Kasala, the Masindi municipal town clerk asked the commission if countrywide arts teachers are not concerned about the enhancement.
"I even don't know really who advised the president to take such a stand. People try to hide but find ways until it is given attention or else our education sector is dying. The science teachers government is prioritizing have a lot of schools they are teaching so they are earning fairly, but now their arts colleagues have lost morale. I hope government can look into it as soon as possible," Kasala said.
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Besides salary enhancement, the teachers showed concern over manpower noting limited staffing.
"We appeal to government to consider recruiting more teachers, because we have about 60 schools both primary and secondary, of these 30 are government but they all have an issue of staffing. Most of the teachers are paid by parents teachers' association," Kasala added.
Deo Balya, a teacher at Masindi army said government needs to find ways of how parents can contribute towards the learning of their students to avoid laxity.
"In private schools, parents are very strict with their children because they pay fees and want value for their money. Government needs to find ways on how parents can be contributing at least food, so that parents become key stakeholders in the learning of their children and will have reasons to find out how their children are performing," Balya advised.
"Because government schools are seen as dumping schools for the poor, not even teachers that teach there have their children in them, they instead borrow money and take theirs in private schools. If government can be intentional on getting education better by making it mandatory for teachers to have their children in schools they teach, then teachers to will be more serious not to have their children get poor grades," Birungi said.
