OPINION
By Paul Edotu
I am student of psychology, there is what’s is called motivational theories. The forefather of this theory is Pavlov. The theory postulates that humans or animals generally respond positively to selected behaviours or actions which are favourable or rewarded actions.
Literally put, if you want to get a positive response or results from a human being or animals in general, you make sure you put favourable conditions which are of interest to them. The humans or animals behaviour therefore becomes associated to that favourable condition.
In human and animal relations, such conditions include but are not limited to things like food, praise, appreciation, promotion, love, Pay rise or / and fear of denial of these by way of punishment more often than not elicits positive behaviour.
The government of Uganda policy to pay “higher salary” to scientists can best be understood from the above background.
It must be noted that for transformation to occur, the country must espouse science and technology education, Research and Practice skills. But in Uganda and may be Africa in general, not many of our people were not motivated to pursue the science path of education for various reasons but the obvious being sciences were perceived to be harder subjects and most science based courses take long study periods besides being very expensive to afford in terms of fees and science based inputs for laboratory experiments.
Despite these difficulties involved, a few people would still pursue and qualify as scientists, then they join the labour market. In the labour market especially in the traditional public service, salary is paid using salary scales, and there was no distinction between, science persons and Arts persons when it came to salary.
However when Uganda set a development goal of transforming the country from subsistence to middle income. Science was therefore seen as a medium through which technologically, the country would transform.
Indeed in 2019 when Covid19 hit, the world, there was universal consensus that medical scientists lead the fight against the covid 19 pandemic at whatever cost. At that time if you asked any man on the street how much a doctor should be paid, a blank cheque was the answer meaning that any huge amount so that life can be saved.
Before covid 19 However H.E. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni being a patriot and a visionary leader upon discovery of oil in the country decided to school Ugandans in petroleum science and technology so that we are not cheated when the time for oil exploitation reaches.
Meanwhile Makerere University and other Tertiary Institutions, pushed and received science innovators fund to promote science research and innovation.
From the above background, its quite clear that both the teaching and qualified science professionals deserve the dividend of their labour.
The Doctors and other cadres came on the forefront because of the ease with which ,they found their lobbying before government.
The teacher who taught PCM, PCB among others was left behind because they prepared and beautified the bride for the wedding and the bridegroom only saw the beauty and forgot who created the beauty in the bride. Its therefore important that now a comprehensive approach be exercised to look at science teachers, allied health professionals and the administrative cadre because transformation is a combination of policy and action.
In conclusion, I strongly recommend comprenshensive salary review which should see science promoted but with emphasis on Teaching and allied health proffesionals and High qualifications in the arts domain that’s Degree, Masters and PhDs. The two dimensions will move the country to middle income I would suppose.
Paul edotu
Cadre and Public Policy Administrator.
Edotupaul21@gmail.com
