Arts Teachers Get Pay Rise in New Salary Structure

Teacher conducting classes in a government aided school in Amudat district. Photo Credit: Daily Monitor.

Government has enhanced the salaries of arts teachers and several senior public servants in the 2026/27 financial year, as part of wider public service reforms aimed at improving service delivery and addressing long-standing pay disparities.

The Minister of Public Service, Katumba Wamala, announced the salary enhancements on Wednesday while releasing Establishment Notice No. 3 of 2026 at the Uganda Media Centre.

Katumba said the 2026/27 wage bill has increased to sh9.708 trillion, up from sh8.621 trillion in the previous financial year, reflecting government’s continued commitment to public sector pay reforms.

“The biggest highlight is the salary enhancement for teachers. Government promised to progressively address the disparity between science and arts teachers, and this process has now begun,” Katumba said.

It should be recalled that the government of Uganda allocated UGX 568.65 billion in the national budget for the FY2025/26 to enhance salaries for primary school teachers and arts teachers in secondary schools and BTVET institutions.

Under the new salary structure, a Grade III primary school teacher’s monthly salary rises from sh499,684 to sh700,000, while a primary school head teacher’s pay increases from sh777,512 to sh1.54 million.

Graduate arts teachers will now earn sh1.36 million, up from sh745,000, while head teachers of secondary schools with arts backgrounds will receive sh3.56 million, up from sh2.27 million.

Gen. Katumba Wamala, Public Service Minister.

Other beneficiaries include deputy chief administrative officers, deputy city and town clerks, city division town clerks, assistant commissioners, heads of department in local governments and public officers on salary scale U2.

Katumba said the ministry’s annual Establishment Notice provides guidelines on payroll management, wage bill control, pension administration, performance management, human resource development and records management.

He also announced that government will spend the current financial year operationalising the new Public Service Pension Fund ahead of its full implementation.

Under the contributory scheme, government will contribute 10% of a public servant’s monthly salary, while employees will contribute 5%. Katumba said the reforms are intended to eliminate delays in pension payments.

“By the time a public servant retires, their pension will be ready. They will no longer have to keep travelling to the Ministry of Public Service looking for their benefits,” he said.

The reforms form part of government’s broader agenda to build a professional, accountable and citizen-centred public service

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