Sports
Sep 11th, 2025

White smoke as sports officers finally present science salary scale request to education committee of Parliament

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Sports officers during their AGM in Mbarara
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Sports officers across the country may soon have reason to smile after their long-standing demand for salary enhancement to match that of scientists was finally given attention by the Education Committee of Parliament. Operating under the umbrella of the National Sports Officers Association (NASOA), the officers have, since 2018, been lobbying government to recognize them as scientists. They have written and delivered several petitions to various government offices, including the Ministry of Public Service and the Speaker of Parliament, but their pleas had long gone unanswered.


Sports officers during their AGM in Mbarara

Hope for change came on Wednesday, September 10, when the officers were invited to formally present their case before the Education Committee of Parliament, following the directive of the Speaker, Rt Hon. Anita Annet Among. Chaired by Hon. James Kubeketerwa (MP, Bunya East) and deputized by Hon. Molly Asiimwe (Woman MP, Rwampara), the committee received the officers’ presentation, which was delivered by NASOA 
president Mustapha Nsubuga, alongside general secretary Cleophas Musinguzi and five other members.


Cleophas Musinguzi making a presentation

In their submission, the officers emphasized that Sports Science, the degree considered by the Ministry of Public Service for the appointment of sports officers, is a fully-fledged science course. They argued that admission to the programme requires subjects such as Biology, Chemistry, Agriculture, and Mathematics, thereby qualifying it as a science discipline.

To support their case, they presented:
Makerere University’s justification of Sports Science as a science course.
Copies of letters previously written to the Ministry of Public Service.
University admission requirements for Sports Science.
Public Service job descriptions (2011 and 2024) specifying that a Sports Science degree or a Bachelor of Education with Physical Education bias is mandatory for recruitment as a sports officer.


Sports officer makes a presentation during their AGM in Mbarara

The officers also made additional requests, including:

  • Restructuring sports offices at local governments to provide for the positions of Principal Sports Officer and Senior Sports Officer.
  • Placement of all sports officers across local governments, cities, vocational institutions, universities, tertiary institutions, and the Ministry of Education and Sports on the science salary scale, with arrears paid to both serving and retired officers.
  • Increasing sports grants at local governments and cities to at least Shs 150 million per financial year.
  • Introducing specific sports grants for universities and other tertiary institutions.
  • Providing a motorcycle for each sports officer at local government level to facilitate monitoring and supervision of sports activities.
  • Recruiting at least 15 coaches in every public university to promote talent development and career growth.
  • Protecting available sports grounds in districts and local governments from encroachment.


    Officers argued that admission to the programme requires subjects such as Biology, Chemistry, Agriculture, and Mathematics, thereby qualifying it as a science discipline

By press time on Thursday afternoon, the officers were still attending a plenary session where officials from the Ministry of Education and Sports were giving a counter-submission on the matter.

Source: Torch Media Africa

Published By | DICKENS TIHARIHONDIJO

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