From time immemorial, teachers have been known to be influencers in the lives and future careers of learners. They are the people who spend most of their time with young ones. These young ones are termed as the leaders of tomorrow.
However, the Teachers who passionately put in their all to bring out the best in learners, receive little pay especially in Uganda.
On June 15, more than 100,000 Arts Teachers across Uganda put work on standstill. This was due to what the Uganda National Teachers Association ( UNATU) called a discriminating salary raise.
The bigotry comes in the sense that the government allocated USH 95 Billion for Science Teachers. On average, the science teacher will be earning around USH 4 Million – a 300 per cent pay increment.
The situation of teachers in Uganda has become so alarming and thus forced questions such as “ what is it like for teachers in other parts of the world? “ . Well, below are some of the findings as reported on Afterschoolafrica :
Top 5 Countries that Pay Teachers Highly
- Switzerland
Apparently, Switzerland’s academic system is independent from the Federal Government. The education system is rather run by the government of each canton. ( The 26 cantons of Switzerland are the member states of the Swiss Confederation ).
With-it being rated among countries that provide quality education especially in advanced Mathematics, Switzerland’s Teachers are paid handsomely. After 15 years of experience, the average Swiss Teacher earns around $69,000 ( Ugx 259,211,662 ) per year.
- Luxembourg
Quality education walks in tandem with the mention of the name Luxembourg. The state runs majority of the schools in the country. No tuition for the students. Learners ages 4 – 16 attend compulsory education.
A primary teacher with no experience earns around $ 64,000 ( Ugx 239,619,648 ) per year, while the average teacher makes around $98,000 ( Ugx 366,917,586 ) after 15 years of teaching.
- Canada
Canada spends an astonishing 5% of its GDP on education. The government invests around $20,000 ( Ugx 74,881,140 ) on each Student’s tertiary education ( high school, college, and beyond ) .
The average teacher in Canada earns around $56,000 ( 209,667,192) after 15 years of experience.
- Germany
Education in Germany is compulsory from the age of 6 till children graduate after 12 or 13 years. There is little or no tuition charged in the majority of the schools. However, students must take tests to prove their qualification.
After 15 years of experience, teachers in Germany earn a little over $64,000 ( Ugx 239,619,648). Their starting salary is around $47,500 ( Ugx 177,842,707 )
- Netherlands
Forget about the idea of all students going to the same school regardless of their needs. Students in Netherlands attend different schools depending on their need, background and career choices.
The lowest amount a Teacher in Netherlands earns yearly is $34,664 ( Ugx 122, 766,922 ).