PS Kumumanya Warns Teachers Against Strikes, Urges Dialogue Over Industrial Action

The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Local Government, Ben Kumumanya, has cautioned teachers across the country against resorting to industrial strikes, emphasizing that such actions have a direct negative impact on learners’ academic performance.

Speaking during a one-day meeting with District and Municipal Council Education and Health Officers held at the Imperial Royale Hotel in Kampala, Kumumanya stressed that abandoning classrooms, particularly in the crucial third term, disrupts learners’ preparation and undermines the education system.

“Industrial action at such a critical time is not good, and it is not in line with the Constitution,” he said. He further noted that teachers have a civic and professional duty to remain committed to their classrooms, especially when students require maximum support ahead of national examinations.

The PS urged education officers to play a proactive role in guiding and counseling teachers to pursue dialogue and lawful channels in addressing grievances rather than resorting to strikes. He said strikes not only inconvenience learners but also erode public trust in the education sector.

“While it is important for teachers to voice their concerns, it should be done in a way that does not compromise the future of our children. Dialogue, negotiation, and lawful processes should always be the first option,” Kumumanya emphasized.

The meeting, which brought together education and health officers from various districts and municipalities, also focused on strengthening service delivery at the local government level. It provided a platform for the PS to re-echo the government’s commitment to improving working conditions of teachers while urging patience and responsibility in pursuing demands.

Kumumanya’s remarks come against a backdrop of recurrent calls from teachers’ unions over pay disparities and welfare concerns, which have in the past sparked industrial strikes and disrupted the academic calendar. His warning highlights government’s stance on maintaining stability in the education sector while seeking long-term solutions through engagement.

Education officers at the meeting welcomed the PS’s guidance and pledged to continue engaging teachers under their jurisdictions to ensure that learners are not left unattended.

The Ministry of Local Government reiterated its readiness to work with other stakeholders, including the Ministry of Education and Sports and teachers’ unions, to resolve existing challenges while safeguarding the rights of learners to uninterrupted education.