By Our Reporter.
We have received complaints from some of our members about the anomalies in the expected pay enhancement for all science teachers, tutors, instructors and Lab Technicians/ Assistants in Schools. We have confirmed that a score of our members are victims of underpayment or missed on the due pay enhancement yet they are scientists/STEM subject teachers.
The UPSTU leadership has dug out deep into this matter and observed that the pay enhancement was automatically generated by MoPS and therefore some science teachers were omitted and or their pay scale not detected as scientist’s scale by the system. We also found out that majority of these affected members were not on the science salary scale even before the enhancement, this is very unfortunate!
*AVOID:* _The propaganda moving on that some categories of science teachers teaching some subjects have been removed from the pay enhancement. That’s not true and cannot happen. UPSTU is watching everything closely and we shall stand with all our members until they receive justice._
For clarity of records, any of the science teachers, tutors & Instructors teaching at least one of the STEM subjects listed below is supposed to have enhanced pay. Whoever missed on pay enhancement is a victim of under payment & wrong salary scale as a result of the system errors:
i. Biology
ii. Chemistry
iii. Physics
iv. Mathematics
v. Agriculture
vi. Food and Nutrition
vii. ICT/Computer Science
viii. Technical Drawing
ix. Carpentry & Joinery
x. All engineering related disciplines in Technical, BTVET & Polytechnic Institutions
Way forward
1. The affected members should individually write to the CAO/Town Clerk stating clearly;
👍this challenge of underpayment,
👍request for pay adjustment to the right scale and
👍ask for arrears of the missed pay for the month of July 2022 and August, 2022. State the amount demanded in arrears after adjusting by what you received on account.
Members are advised to attach their appointment letters and posting instructions which indicate at least one of the STEM subjects listed above. You can copy this letter to the Permanent Secretary, MoPS and General Secretary, UPSTU and hand these copies to the District/Regional coordinator, UPSTU for easy follow up by our Union.
2. We have guided our Regional & District co-ordinators to avail themselves to help the members by following up the matter with the Personnel without delay.
The affected members should be patient as we go through this process.
3. None registered members are advised to first fill UPSTU Membership Forms and submit them to our Regional/District Coordinators*
NB: _We want to congratulate all science teachers whose pay has been enhanced and urge all of you to become more committed and concentrate on your job, avoid unnecessary arguments while at school, support your union UPSTU’s programs, provide enough time to students, do research, promote innovation and creativity, produce better results not only in terms of grades but also equipping the learners with skills for a more productive and prosperous society. When we create a visible difference at our work, we will cause justification for even better pay and we will be rewarded beyond this._
UPSTU will remain committed and in incontestable position of pursuing interests of all the scientists in education sector ■
Solidarity forever!
Science for Development and Transformation.
MUGAIGA ARON
General Secretary , UPSTU
Dated 11/08/2022
