By Obbo Yusuf –obboyusuf43@gmail.com
The education policy review commission has moved to Acholi region for consultative and participatory meetings with Education stakeholders in the region soon after karamajo region with intentions of gathering views through public hearings from key players to make an input into the new policy.
The Education Policy Review Commission (EPRC) was launched by the First Lady and Hon. Minister of Education and Sports Hon. Janet Kataha Museveni to draft a new macro policy framework for the Education and Sports for Uganda to replace the current Government White Paper on Education of 1992.
Dr Joseph Muvawala Nsekere the committee deputy chairperson also the Executive director for National planning authority says their visit to Acholi region is to consult individuals and stakeholders on the education system while sharing with teachers at Purongo seed secondary school in Nwoya district
Muvawala appealed to education stakeholders to consider meaningful views, discuss with the commission on ideas they think will better the education sector and cause a new curriculum.
“We are here to listen to your views, share with us what is better for education system, by doing so you’re contributing towards the best education to be given your children” said Dr. Muvawala
He emphasized the importance of the commission meeting stakeholders of education all over the country as a one way of not living any one behind, because different regions own different challenges affecting the education system. Adding that the student is the principal, the teachers are the Agents and the target is to have better prepared learners to fit in a changing world.
Dr. Muvawala also expressed his appreciation to the management of Kworo high school in Nwoya district for supporting up the girl child more especially the young mothers.”The school welcomes young mothers with their children to support them move on with their education , currently the school hosts over 15 young mothers majority of them being victims of covid19 school lockdown “
.”You can’t separate a mother and the child ,however producing when young doesn’t mean life has ended ,by empowering these young girls ,you help them to achieve their set targets for the future “said Dr Joseph Muvawala .
He further explains why the commission is gathering different perspectives on what people think the education system should entail with the aim of ensuring that a final report is produced by the commission.
Ogwal Benon Obwoya the acting Head teacher at Purongo seed secondary school says good performance in Acholi land is battled by less motivation by parents who keep their children in the gardens during class hours.
Benon says he takes it upon himself to call parents so that he reminds them about the students reporting at school.
“I have to make calls to the parents who have phones to beg them let their children come back to school, this is more worse when it is rainy season, the students are engaged in farming at home” said Ogwal
“Let there be Policy shift to polish our learner’s to a direction of talent and skills, we need more practical than theory to address the current situation in many aspects of life” saID Nwoya district chairperson Orach Emmanuel
On second day the committee team went to Agago one of the neighboring district of Acholi in Karamoja region and a number of key issues were identified from the education key players in this district. The visit started at the district headquarters to engage with District heads and then proceeded to Ajali Lajwa primary school .
while speaking to the commission Mr. Ocan Moses the deputy head teacher pointed out that some of the challenges the school is facing include the increasing insecurity in the area as a result of Karamajong raiders who destabilize up to Agago district which also affects the school feeding programs as parents are not able to support the school in feeding their children because they are attacked while in the gardens
Ocan added that the school hosts over 10103 pupils despite the limited classrooms they have to accommodate the big number leaving many seated on the floor but he attributes this to low funding from both government and parents .
“We only receive 7 million from Government before the start of the term ,and we collect between 400,000 -500,000 from Parents to facilitate the day to day activities of the school which is too little to support the school
The review focused on producing a secondary school graduate who has the competences that are required in the 21st century promoting values and attitudes effective learning and acquisition of skills in order to reduce unemployment among school graduates.
The review also aimed at reducing the content overload and contact hours in the classroom so as to create time for research, project work talent development and creativity; allowing for emerging fields of knowledge across all subjects and doing away with obsolete information.
There was need to address the social and economic needs of the country like the mining sector, tourism, services provision, science and technology development and to ensure rigorous career guidance programme to expose learners to the related subjects. This will enable learners to make informed choices as they transit and to equip them with knowledge and skills that will enhance their competitiveness in the global value chain.
The new curriculum allows students to study only 12 subjects in senior one and two ,with 11 of these being compulsory and one elective .the compulsory subjects are English ,mathematics ,history ,geography ,physics ,biology,chemistry, physical education,religious education ,entrepreneurship and kiswahil
The Education Policy Review Commission led by its chairman Hon Amanya Mushega has so far visited Busoga, West Nile ,Karamoja region and now in Acholi . And It’s engaging key stakeholders such as district and municipal leaders, educationists, civil society, administrators of refugee camps, religious leaders, faith-based education entities, community leaders, teachers, parents and learners
Every district shares a guideline to the commission on what they think is better for the education system in Uganda to contribute to the final report. The commission has camped in Acholi region for a one week and it will end with a regional conference on Friday where all key stakeholders shall be engaged in Gulu city.
