Following the uncertainty of when schools in the country will re-open, the Catholic Church has moved to suspend payments of teachers and non teaching staff salaries indefinitely.
“As we continue to battle the COVID-19 pandemic that is affecting our country and the world over, and more especially the education sector, we kindly advise you to temporarily suspend payments of your staff in our Private Schools,” Fr. Ronald Okello, the Nationak Executive Secretary at the Uganda Episcopal Conference wrote to Diocesan Education Secretaries across the country.
“You need to notify your staff and mutually agree on unpaid leave especially those on active contracts,” Fr. Okello wrote in a letter dated July 13.
“We further advise that you notify URA and NSSF to avoid penalties of Statutory Deductions. This is because we are not sure when schools will open for our learners,” he wrote.
Fr. Okello explained that most of the schools are run on charity and school fees which is not forthcoming since the schools are closed.
First Lady and Minister of Education Mama Janet Museveni recently said it is risky to open schools at the moment when Covid is upon us. Neighbouring Kenya has cancelled the 2020 academic year, but Uganda is yet to make a final pronouncement on the matter, four months after the schools were closed.
