Pader parents hopeful as UNATU calls off nationwide strike

17 October 2025, 18:46

By Ekel Bonny Daniel

Relief and renewed hope swept through Pader District yesterday as the Uganda National Teachers’ Union (UNATU) suspended its nationwide strike, paving the way for the full reopening of schools.

For many parents who had watched their children stay home for over a month, the news came as a major relief. The strike had disrupted lessons across all classes, although in some schools, only candidate classes continued to study intermittently.

Mego Rose Kilama, a resident of Lutini Central Village, Atede Parish, Awere Sub county, said the decision brings joy and relief to many families.

“Now the Primary Seven candidates can go back to school. Education is the only key we have left, and I call upon all parents to ensure their children return to class on Monday,” she said.

Abwono Unique Samuel, from Pader Sub county, welcomed UNATU’s decision, saying it restores hope for learners who were missing out on vital lessons.

“I am very happy with UNATU’s decision to call off the strike. We had been praying that our Primary Seven candidates and other pupils would return to school and complete the term successfully,” he said.

Parents of pupils in the lower classes also expressed their excitement. Mego Aciro Beatrice Otim, a resident of Olwornguu West Cell, Acoro Parish, Pader Town Council, whose child is in Primary Three at Olwornguu Primary School, said the strike had caused anxiety for many households.

“If it is indeed true that learning will now resume as normal, then both the candidate and other classes will benefit. This news gives us hope for our children’s future,” she said.

Pader District Secretary for Education, Ojok Phillips Obalim Adonga, urged teachers, parents, and community leaders to work together to ensure that learners return to class without delay.

“We have already received the good news that the industrial action has been called off. We see this as positive news for all of us who care deeply about the future of our children,” he said, encouraging teachers to resume normal teaching routines as government negotiations continue.

However, Justine Okello Abolo, Chairperson of the Headteachers’ Association in Pader District, said he had not yet received official communication regarding the strike’s suspension.

He noted that once the directive is formally confirmed, all headteachers will ensure a smooth reopening of schools and the resumption of normal learning activities.

UNATU’s official communication, issued on 16 October 2025, confirmed the suspension of the strike after 32 days of industrial action. The union clarified that the strike was not an act of defiance but a call for justice, fairness, and equity for all teachers.

The teachers’ body also acknowledged ongoing discussions with government and parliamentary committees, following a petition to the Speaker of Parliament that prompted urgent consultations with the Education, Public Service, and Local Government Committees.

The strike, which began on 16 September 2025, affected schools nationwide and disrupted lessons for thousands of pupils. In Pader, however, communities have vowed to recover lost learning time through collaborative efforts between parents, teachers, and local leaders.

As schools fully reopen, parents in Pader remain hopeful that normal teaching and learning will resume smoothly, ensuring that every child, whether a candidate or not, gets back on track for a brighter future.