As schools across Uganda prepare to open for the new academic year, the Uganda National Teachers’ Union (UNATU) has indicated a shift in strategy amid continued disappointment over unfulfilled government promises to enhance salaries for arts teachers.

For years, the start of the academic year has been marked by familiar scenes: threats of strikes, delayed teacher reporting, and tense negotiations over fair pay and working conditions.

The situation worsened after the 2021 salary reform, which awarded science teachers a 300 percent pay increase while leaving arts and humanities teachers behind, creating a persistent and widely criticized pay disparity that has fueled resentment and supervisory challenges in schools.

In late January 2026, Parliament approved the Budget Framework Paper for the 2026/27 financial year, which made no provision for salary enhancements for arts teachers, directly contradicting earlier government pledges made during last year’s industrial action.

UNATU Secretary General Filbert Baguma confirmed that the union had decided to prioritize dialogue over confrontation at this stage, citing repeated government delays in fulfilling promises for salary enhancements.

He recalled that during last year’s industrial action, the union had engaged with the Speaker of Parliament, Annet Anita Among, who had assured that the matter would be fast-tracked. Baguma said the union now plans to return to the Speaker’s office to press for inclusion of the promised enhancements in subsequent budget instruments.

Meanwhile, Minister of Public Service Wilson Muruli Mukasa expressed surprise and concern upon discovering that the anticipated provisions were missing from the framework paper. He directed the Ministry of Finance to ensure that the matter is addressed and reflected in the forthcoming budget circular.

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