Ugandan teachers threaten to boycott marking exams

 Teachers have vowed to resume their strike if the government does not respond to their salary demand by November 10.

Kampala. Teachers have, in a new twist threatened not to mark Uganda National Examinations Board exams, days after they agreed to suspend their strike over pay rise.

Through their umbrella organisation, Uganda National Teachers’ Union (Unatu), the civil servants maintain that they will resume their strike on November 10 if nothing materialises from a committee which the government set up last week.

The inter-ministerial committee is expected to start its meetings tomorrow.

Mr James Tweheyo, the Unatu general secretary, said the teachers are justified to be angry and requested that they should be patient with the committee to discuss the options that were tabled before the government. “Even those who are angry will understand why some things have to be done the way they are. The government will have had all its time to think through their positions. We do not want anybody to think that we have been inconsiderate,” he said.

“Pupils will have completed Primary Leaving Examinations. We are the ones who mark. I want to assure you that PLE will not be marked if this is not worked on. The government should not take chances,” Mr Tweheyo added.

He said they had given the government 28 days to reach an agreement.

The Unatu general secretary also said that although the final document they signed with the government to draw them back to class did not have the details of their discussion, they are contained in the meeting minutes. He also warned that if the strike is resumed, it would affect Senior Four and Six candidates who will be midway through their Uganda Certificate of Education and Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education exams respectively.

“We did not want to cause an unnecessary anxiety among parents. This was to show them that we are concerned and want the best for our children’s future,” Mr Tweheyo said.

On the claims that some Unatu officials were bribed, Mr Tweheyo said: “It is not true that we have received money from the government. We rejected their food. How then can we accept money? They are trying to make us dirty but we will remain focused. All these are intended to divert us. Our cause is genuine and we must pursue it to the end.”