The Uganda Private Teachers’ Union has announced plans to launch a fundraising  project to raise support for private teachers that have not been paid by their bosses since the outbreak of coronavirus in Uganda.

Juma Mwamula, UNATU’s general secretary told journalists on Tuesday, June 16 that they hope to raise funds and relief items to support teachers who work with private schools this month since they have been the most affected. 

“We appeal to all the stakeholders, especially parents to contribute whatever is possible to the teachers who have been suffering since March. Most of these teachers are stuck at their work stations but no one is coming to their rescue,” Mwamula said.

Patrick Kaboyo, the national secretary of the Federation of Non-state Education also told journalists that school owners are not entirely to blame as all private schools depend on school fees payments.

“Most parents pay in instalments. By the time the term was abruptly stopped, school directors may not have recouped enough to pay salaries for the rest of these months while schools were closed,” says Kaboyo.

However, Kaboyo finds it inexcusable that even some schools with full fees payment before beginning of the term have stopped paying teachers.

Kaboyo requested the government to extend financial support to private school owners so as to enable them reach out to the teachers.

He suggests that governments should offer tax exemptions to private school establishments to enable them sustain their workers and keep them afloat in general until schools reopen.

Zadock Tumuhimbise, the national chairperson Uganda National Teachers Union (UNATU), appealed to teachers to remain calm during these hard times, follow guidelines and understand that the continued closure of schools is in the interest of safety of all Ugandans.

Following the outbreak of coronavirus in Uganda, President Museveni closed all private and public institutions of learning in a bid to contain the spread of the deadly disease.