Kampala City, July 23, 2024 — Today, the Uganda National Teachers’ Union (UNATU) convened a stakeholders meeting at Teachers House in Kampala City. The meeting saw the participation of district Human Resource Officers (HROs) from all districts of the Central region, along with various UNATU leaders including branch chairpersons from the region, the Regional Chair Central, Vice Regional Chair, the National Secretary for Women Affairs, the General Secretary, and the Regional Coordinator.
Emphasizing Unity and Cooperation: Bwambale William, the Regional Chairperson Central, extended his gratitude to the HR officers for their presence and the warm reception they provide when interacting with UNATU officials. He acknowledged the efforts of the chairpersons in maintaining a strong relationship with the HRs and called on all stakeholders to “come together, work together, and stay together.” Bwambale highlighted that such opportunities for collaboration would facilitate the work of HRs, especially in their interactions with UNATU, and thanked them for their commitment to resolving coding issues and supporting the membership.
Addressing Critical Issues and Proposing Solutions: Baguma Filbert Bates, the General Secretary of UNATU, expressed his appreciation for the region’s effort in organising the meeting with HROs. He recognized HRs as prominent stakeholders that UNATU works closely with, noting their responsiveness to UNATU’s call to support teachers. The GS urged the chairpersons to maintain close ties with HR offices and emphasized the need for effective information sharing between teacher leaders and HR officers.
Baguma highlighted several pressing issues affecting teachers, including challenges with the validation exercise and annual increments. He addressed payroll issues stemming from the transition from IPPS to HCM. He also discussed the economic pressures leading to stress and depression among teachers. Baguma called the HRs to regulate multiple loans and emphasized the importance of sensitizing teachers to reduce mental health issues and financial fraud.
Enhancing the Sanctions and Rewards System: The GS also touched on the sanctions and rewards committees, noting that sanctions have become more prevalent than rewards. He called for a more balanced approach that includes recognizing and rewarding teachers’ efforts. The issue of teachers not knowing their rights was raised, and he emphasized the importance of updating membership information to assist members effectively, especially the bereaved.
Promoting Participation and Legal Awareness: Baguma encouraged HRs to participate in UNATU functions, such as recruitment drives and World Teachers Day, to disseminate information to teachers. He stressed the need for consent forms for new recruits and provided legal steps on how to join and leave the union. The GScccvccc concluded by urging all stakeholders to join hands in recruiting members and working together as a team to address teacher issues.
HR Officers’ Feedback and Commitments
The HR officers responded positively, thanking UNATU for the engagement and commitment to finding solutions for teachers. They called for increased vigilance in documentation and suggested monthly reconciliation of remittances to bridge information gaps. The HRs advocated for annual meetings with teachers to share information and encouraged the sharing of contacts to reduce travel costs for teachers.
HR officers highlighted the importance of verifying reports and promptly notifying affected teachers to rectify payroll issues. They thanked the chairpersons for their public relations efforts and acknowledged the challenges posed by insufficient wages. The issue of UNATU code 257 dropping was raised, and chairpersons were urged to collaborate with HRs to resolve it through availing update forms or new membership forms. The HRs also noted the lack of information as a major issue, with some teachers retiring without regularizing their documents.
The HR officers emphasized the importance of joint efforts between UNATU and their offices. They suggested that UNATU lobby for staff quotas on HCM and hoped that salary structures would improve. HR officers also discussed the need for supervisors to provide information on the best-performing staff to ensure a more balanced rewards and sanctions committee. The idea of promoting teachers nearing retirement to enhance their retirement packages was also proposed.
The HRs thanked the General Secretary for understanding their issues and organizing an event for them to share their concerns with UNATU. They raised concerns about former leaders sometimes derailing the process and advised chairpersons to bridge information gaps with accurate information. Issues of forged documentation, mismatched names, and changed dates of birth were highlighted, and chairpersons were advised to scrutinize such cases carefully.
Closing Remarks: Nabirye Teddy, the National Secretary for Women Affairs, delivered the closing remarks. She sent greetings from the National Executive Council (NEC) and thanked the HRs for their attendance. She also expressed gratitude to the General Secretary for listening to the HRs and providing support. She thanked the chairpersons for their collaboration with the HRs and called for continued cooperation in future endeavors.
A Path Forward: The stakeholders meeting highlighted the dedication of UNATU and the HR officers to work collaboratively in addressing the challenges faced by teachers. By fostering open communication, sharing vital information, and developing joint strategies, the meeting aimed to create a more supportive and effective environment for teachers, ultimately enhancing the quality of education in the Central region.
Niceness, may the Almighty God continually bless our union together with its leaders.
Why do you think teachers are resorting to multiple loans?
I believe if we get the genuine answer for this, teachers will be helped to lessen their stress stemming from loans.
Thank you Peter for the reply, as we research more on the topic we encourage you to also give us information reach us on communications@unatu.org