MPs Call For Arts Teachers Pay Rise In The Budget.
The Education Committee of Parliament has urged the Ministry of Finance to provide money for salary enhancement of secondary school art teachers and primary school teachers in the 2023/2024 financial year before they go back on strike.
The proposed budget for the Education Sector budget has increased by over 600bn but Arts teachers are not anywhere on beneficiaries of the increment.
Although the proposed budget for the Ministry of Education and Sports has increased from 3.9tn to 4.5tn in the financial year 2023/2024, budgets for 18 votes and Conventions under the ministry have suffered huge budget cuts to the tune of 80%. The increment has been facilitated by UGX 578bn for the enhancement of teachers’ salaries, and increased development expenditure for the Ministry of Education and Sports, UNEB, Mbarara University, Lira University Muni University, Uganda Management Institute, and National Curriculum Development Center.
While presenting a report for the 2023/2024 budget framework paper for agencies in the education sector to the Budget Committee of Parliament, the Vice Chairperson of the education committee Cuthbert Abigaba urged the budget committee to find the money for the Arts teachers in secondary schools and primary teachers before they go for another sit-down strike.
The Ministry of education wants parliament to reverse the proposed budget cuts in the education sector amounting to UGX170.95bn which have affected critical items in the industry including the Students Loan Scheme, and Sports among others.
On top of the Budget cuts the ministry is grappling with a huge funding gap of 774bn due to key unfunded priorities. These include Grant Aiding of schools with a shortfall of UGX.34bn. 620 schools across the country have requested for government takeover but the ministry has no Money.
However, budget committee members have called for a realignment of the budget for the education sector to find the money for the key strategic unfunded priorities of the sector.
Legislators have also proposed reforms in the policy on government scholarships to benefit needy children. MPs contend that government scholarships and the student loan scheme benefit children of the rich who can afford elite schools around Kampala and Wakiso.
