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Talk Underway to End Makerere University Teachers Strike in Uganda
 
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Thu, 22 Aug 2013   ||   Nigeria,
 

The ongoing strike embarked upon by teachers at the Makerere University in Uganda would soon become a thing of the past, if a report from the University authority is anything to go by.

CEOAFRICA.com gathered that the necessary measures are in place to address the situation.

While speaking to journalists, Mohammed Kiggundu, chairman of the University Staff Union expressed optimism that things would soon return to normal at the institution.

 “The enhancement that we are looking for is a 100 percent pay raise. We want the staff of the university to tally with the cost of living in the country because the salaries they are being paid is very low. The highest paid is at the level of a professor who gets paid Shillings 2.8 million [$1,150.00 monthly],” said Musoke.

According to his analysis, professors should be paid $2,000.00, and teachers with doctoral degree should be paid the equivalent of $1,600.

The teachers went on strike to press back up their demand for better living conditions following an impasse between the university and representatives of the lecturers union.

However, Musoke denied that the University teachers are blackmailing the government with their demand.

“The university professors are not arm twisting the government. The demand was not directed at the government; the demand was directed at [University] Council. None of the staff has said that government should cut their budget. What we are looking at is the re-organization [of] internally generated funds. So no one should get politicking by giving unfounded rumors that we are arm twisting the government.”

It was also gathered that students of the institution have pleaded that the school should be re-opened for normal academic activities. In his reaction to the students’ plea, Musoke said, “The students have done the right thing, but as long as the impasse has not been solved at the level of the University Council, it’s going to be very hard for this to be done. Nothing can be done without Council coming up with temporary solution in the short run.”

 

 

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