Uganda Government Rolls Out New Public Service Salary Structure, Prioritizing Scientists and Educators

The Ministry of Public Service has unveiled the latest public service salary adjustments for the 2026/27 financial year, continuing its policy focus on enhancing pay for scientific cadres, educators, and technical specialists. This revised structure, outlined in Circular Standing Instruction (CSI) No. 3 of 2026, comes after parliamentary approval of the national budget, which allocated Shs 9.7 trillion to the public sector wage bill.

Scientists and specialized technical professionals remain the primary beneficiaries of these pay increases. For instance, chief state attorneys will now earn Shs 12.8 million monthly, a significant jump from Shs 8.6 million. Similarly, senior commissioners in scientific roles within security services have seen their salaries rise to Shs 12.8 million from Shs 8.6 million. The government asserts that these improved salaries are crucial for attracting and retaining skilled individuals in fields vital to Uganda’s industrialization and development goals.

The education sector also benefits from increased pay. Primary education assistants (Grade III teachers) will see their monthly earnings rise to approximately Shs 700,000 from Shs 500,000. Head teachers’ salaries have been boosted from Shs 1 million to Shs 1.5 million, with deputy head teachers moving to Shs 1.4 million from Shs 750,000. However, the policy continues to create a notable pay gap between science and arts teachers, with science teachers earning substantially more.

In the wider public service administration, significant increases are observed for assistant and deputy commissioners, whose salaries have risen to Shs 6.5 million monthly. Commissioners will now earn Shs 12.5 million. Despite these adjustments, concerns persist regarding salary disparities, particularly for graduate professionals on the U4 scale who continue to earn below Shs 1 million.

Notably, the proposed salary enhancements for Resident District Commissioners (RDCs) and presidential advisors were not included in this latest structure, leaving their remuneration unchanged. The circular mandates all accounting officers to implement these new salary scales within their designated budgets.

This announcement and the accompanying salary adjustments apply to a broad spectrum of public employees, including those in local government, health, police, prisons, the judiciary, and various other public institutions. The government reiterates its commitment to a phased salary enhancement program aimed at critical service delivery sectors.

Source: The Observer (Uganda)