The seven schedules
Every public service job title sits under one of seven schedules, grouped by category of role rather than by ministry. A Principal Officer at the Ministry of Finance and a Principal Officer at the Ministry of Education are both Schedule 2 — the schedule is about the type of work, not which ministry advertised it.
| Schedule | Covers |
|---|---|
| Schedule 1 Presidential Appointees & Political Leadership | Resident District Commissioners and their deputies, plus presidential advisors and assistants — paid on a distinct "Political" scale rather than the U-grade ladder. |
| Schedule 2 General Public Service | The bulk of civil servants across every ministry and department, from Permanent Secretary down to support staff — this is the schedule most job titles fall under. |
| Schedule 3 Primary School Teachers | Classroom teachers, deputy head teachers and head teachers in government-aided primary schools. |
| Schedule 4-A Secondary School Teachers | Classroom teachers through Head Teacher, Secondary School — split into Science and non-Science pay tracks. |
| Schedule 4-B Certificate & Diploma-Awarding Institutions | Tutors, instructors and lecturers at technical, vocational and certificate/diploma-awarding institutions. |
| Schedule 5 Uganda Police Force & Uganda Prisons Service | Ranks from Constable/Warder through Commissioner of Police or Prisons. |
| Schedule 6 Health Workers | Senior medical, nursing and hospital-administration grades — Medical Officer, Consultant, District Health Officer and above. |
U1 to U8: how the grade ladder works
Within a schedule, every job title sits on a grade — U1 is the most senior, U8 the most junior. Which grade you can enter on is governed by your highest academic qualification.
| Grade | Minimum qualification | Typical roles |
|---|---|---|
| U1 Top Management | Masters — Master’s degree or higher plus extensive senior leadership experience. | Permanent Secretaries, Directors. |
| U2 & U3 Senior / Middle Management | Graduate — Honours bachelor’s degree or relevant postgraduate diplomas / master’s degrees. | Commissioners, Assistant Commissioners, Principal Officers. |
| U4 Senior Officers | Graduate — Minimum of an honours bachelor’s degree from a recognised university. | Senior Officers, basic Medical Officers, secondary school graduate teachers. |
| U5 Officers / Technical Staff | Diploma — National diploma or specialised higher diploma from a recognised institution. | Diploma-holding technical officers, field assistants, diploma-entry instructors. |
| U6 & U7 Assistants / Lower Local Government | Certificate — Lower-level certificates, craft certificates or general diplomas (Parish Chiefs often enter at U7). | Assistant field officers, upper support staff, primary certificate holders. |
| U8 Support Staff | UCE/UACE — Uganda Certificate of Education (O-level / UACE) or primary leaving certificates. | Office attendants, drivers, sweepers. |
There is no U9 — U8 is the bottom of the ladder. "Salary scale 12" and similar numbered scales belong to semi-autonomous agencies (UWA, URSB) that run their own internal structure rather than U1–U8; see the agency-scale page for how those map across.
Notches: how pay rises within a grade
A notch is an annual pay step. Notch 1 is your entry salary from the day you join; you move up one notch for each completed year of service until you reach the top notch for your grade, where pay stops rising unless you're promoted to a higher grade.
Cadre splits: Science, Upper & Lower
Many grades split further by cadre. Science (sometimes written "SC") marks scientific, technical and medical roles — doctors, lab technologists, engineers — paid a single flat monthly rate at each grade rather than a notch ladder. Upper and Lower split administrative/professional-cadre staff within the same grade, and do climb a notch ladder that rises with tenure. Two people on the same lettered grade can be on very different pay depending on which of these splits they fall under.
Worked example: Ministry of Finance vs. Ministry of Education
The same structure, applied at two different ministries — proof that grade and cadre decide pay, not which ministry you work for.
| Internal Auditor General U1SE | 13,860,000 |
| Commissioner Accounts U1SE | 12,750,000 |
| Assistant Commissioner Communications and Records U1E (Upper) | 6,500,000 |
| Principal Accountant U2 (Upper) | 4,500,000 |
| Principal Engineer, Rural Water Supply and Sanitation U3 (Upper) | 979,805 |
| Accountant - 2 U4 (Upper) | 766,589 |
| Commissioner – Secretariat for Higher Education Students Financing U1SE | 12,750,000 |
| Assistant Commissioner – Higher Education Students Financing U1E (Upper) | 6,500,000 |
| Principal Civil Engineer U2 (Upper) | 4,500,000 |
| Senior Credit Analyst U3 (Upper) | 979,805 |
| Communications Officer U4 (Upper) | 766,589 |
| Data Entry Clerk U6 (Upper) | 416,617 |
Figures are gross monthly pay at notch 1 (entry).
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Disclaimer. This page is provided for general guidance only and does not constitute official payroll advice. Figures cover basic gross salary only — allowances, honoraria, and other benefits are not included. Always verify against your appointment letter or the official Ministry of Public Service circular.
Source: Ministry of Public Service salary structure, FY 2026/27.