Over 8,500 finalist students are stranded as the academic teaching staff at Makerere University Business School (MUBS) go on a sit-down strike over salary discrepancies.
According to the promised salary structure from the Ministry of Public service, a Vice Chancellor in a public university is entitled to a salary of 20 million shillings, deputy vice-chancellor 17.4 million shillings, professor 15.6 million shillings, an associate professor 14.8 million shillings, a senior lecturer 9 million shillings, lecturer 8.1 million shillings, assistant lecturer 6.6 million shillings and teaching assistant 5.7 million shillings.
Despite these numbers, the academic staff at the Nakawa-based University claim that they have been earning much less than compared to their counterparts in other public universities.
They have been threatening to strike since government reopened education institutions for finalists on October 15th 2020.
Brian Muyomba, the Chairperson Makerere University Business School Academic Association says that they have tried several peaceful means to bring the issue to the attention of the government in vain.
He says they have resorted to industrial action after several engagements with staff and will only return to the lecture rooms when their issue has been resolved.
Muyomba also mentioned that an Associate professor at MUBS earns 7 million shillings which is far less compared to their counterparts say at Kyambogo university, which he says is unfair.
The academic staff also showed documents that indicated some of the lecturers who were promoted three or more years before, but are still earning the salaries of their previous positions.
Although there might not be a definite answer how the promoted staff remained on the previous salary scale, the Permanent Secretary says the discrepancies could be as a result of numerous payment systems as some lecturers are being paid as per the Ministry of Public service structures while others are being paid on the terms of the University.
The strike comes at the time when most lecturers were trying to complete their respective course units and prepare learners for their final exams starting in just one week on November 23rd.
