For years, many of Uganda’s highest-performing university applicants have avoided education-related degrees, choosing instead fields like medicine, law, and engineering, which are widely seen as offering better pay. That long-standing trend may now begin to shift as the government moves to reposition teaching among the most financially competitive careers in public service.
Authorities have outlined a major salary reform targeting educators, with plans to make teachers some of the highest-paid civil servants in the country. Under the proposed structure, science teachers employed by the government would earn a basic monthly salary of about Shs8 million. The changes are expected to be implemented gradually over a five-year period.
The revised salary framework represents a significant departure from current pay levels across the education sector. According to the proposal, a science headteacher would earn Shs6.5 million per month, up from about Shs2.3 million. A deputy headteacher in the science category would see earnings rise from Shs1.7 million to Shs4.5 million. Senior education officers in science are projected to earn Shs4.2 million, compared to Shs1.7 million currently, while education officers would move from roughly Shs1 million to Shs4 million. Assistant education officers in science are expected to earn Shs2.2 million, up from about Shs933,000.
Laboratory technicians are also included, with salaries projected to more than double from a range of Shs795,000–Shs858,000 to Shs2.2 million.
While science teachers are set to receive the highest increments, humanities teachers are also part of the plan. Senior education officers in humanities would earn about Shs1.7 million, and overall salaries for humanities teachers are expected to at least double. Headteachers and their deputies across both science and arts disciplines are expected to fall within a broader earning range that could reach up to Shs10 million.
The government has reaffirmed its commitment to the reforms. The Minister for Public Service, Wilson Muluri Mukasa, stated that the changes are part of a structured pay plan for all civil servants, with teachers specifically targeted to become among the best-paid.
The announcement was made during a sensitisation meeting on the Public Service Contributory Pension Scheme held in Mbarara, attended by administrative and human resource officials from across government institutions.
Alongside the salary reforms, a new pension policy is being introduced. Under the contributory system, civil servants will contribute five percent of their salary toward retirement benefits, while the government will contribute ten percent. This marks a shift from the current arrangement, where pensions are fully funded by the state.
Higher Education State Minister John Chrysostom Muyingo said the salary enhancements reflect a long-term government commitment to strengthening the education sector. He also called on teachers to match improved pay with dedication to their professional responsibilities.
The reforms are part of a wider public service pay strategy. About 66 percent of civil servants—whose salaries have not been revised since 2014—are expected to be covered in the next phase. This group is projected to receive at least 77 percent of the targeted salary levels over four financial years starting in the 2026/2027 cycle.
Uganda currently has an estimated 350,000 civil servants, with about 54 percent already benefiting from earlier pay adjustments. This leaves roughly 231,000 workers, many in the education sector, set to benefit from the upcoming changes.
A large share of beneficiaries includes primary and secondary school headteachers, their deputies, and humanities teachers, making education one of the sectors likely to see the most visible impact. If fully implemented, the reforms would raise the national public wage bill from about Shs8.5 trillion to approximately Shs10 trillion.
Other public employees are also included in the broader pay review. Arts teachers at secondary level are expected to receive a 25 percent salary increment starting in the 2026/2027 financial year. Mortuary and cemetery attendants are projected to see their earnings rise from about Shs500,000 to Shs1 million, while plant operators managing government ferries are expected to earn around Shs1 million.
In the health sector, radiology technologists are set to see their salaries increase from about Shs2.6 million to Shs3 million. Administrative roles such as non-science assistant commissioners, deputy Chief Administrative Officers, and deputy town clerks are also included in the planned enhancements.
At public universities, the proposed structure includes significant increases for academic staff. Vice-chancellors would earn about Shs20 million, up from Shs12.2 million, while their deputies would receive Shs17.4 million compared to Shs10.5 million. Professors in science disciplines are expected to earn Shs15.6 million, while those in non-science fields would earn Shs14.8 million. Lecturers and assistant lecturers are also set to receive incremental increases.
Reactions from educators show cautious optimism. Some teachers believe the improved salaries could help address long-standing challenges such as absenteeism and the need to take on multiple jobs.
George Andama, a retired headteacher of Mvara Secondary School in Arua, welcomed the development, saying it could attract better students into the teaching profession and make education degrees more competitive.
Another teacher noted that better pay could reduce part-time teaching and improve classroom attendance, which has been a concern in some schools.
For students considering career options, the proposed reforms may change perceptions about teaching. If implemented as planned, education—especially in science subjects—could offer financial prospects comparable to traditionally high-paying professions.
Whether the reforms will significantly influence university enrollment patterns remains to be seen. However, the government’s approach signals a clear effort to redefine teaching as both a vital public service and a financially rewarding career in Uganda’s evolving labor market.
