Teachers at Kampala Parents School, one of Uganda’s top-performing primary schools, staged a protest on Wednesday, citing poor pay and alleged unequal treatment.
Holding placards and chanting slogans, the teachers decried their inability to afford tuition for their children to study at the very school where they work.
"We cannot afford to have our children study here. How can you work in a school and fail to eat something from it?" one teacher lamented. Another added,
"You cannot intimidate us," expressing frustration over the management’s alleged indifference to their grievances.
The teachers claim they are paid Shs600,000 per month, a figure they say pales in comparison to other staff members, such as security guards, who are reportedly earning up to Shs3 million.
Kampala Parents School is owned by property magnate Sudhir Ruparelia.
Located on the foothills of Naguru Hill, the school was founded by Ghulam Kadri, an educationist, who built its reputation as one of Uganda’s top-performing primary institutions.
In 2004, Sudhir, through his Ruparelia Group, purchased the school and subsequently expanded its facilities and enhanced its reputation for academic excellence.
Some teachers alleged that foreign staff, particularly Indian nationals, are favoured in terms of remuneration.
Kampala Parents School is renowned for its exceptional academic performance and premium fees, attracting pupils from affluent families across the country.
Efforts to reach the school’s management - including Sudhir's son Rajiv Ruparelia - for comment were unsuccessful at the time of publication.
This is a developing story, and updates will follow as more information becomes available.
