By Kezia Koburungi
Education is considered to be a powerful tool for development and growth throughout many sectors in Uganda. In addition, the country’s vision 2040, which provides paths to becoming a more prosperous nation, highlights education as a crucial mechanism for economic growth. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has posed serious threats to the access of education in Uganda.
Though innovative solutions were put in place to support this sector and ensure the continuity of education, this has not been anywhere near effective.
One of the innovative solutions that were put in place is virtual learning. Most of those who can afford the costs it comes with obviously feel privileged, while many who cannot, are left feeling less fortunate and curse their fate for failing to provide this opportunity for their children.
However, Abubaker Matanda, a newly appointed Magistrate and a Lecturer at the Islamic University in Uganda (IUIU) has come out to highlight the shortcomings of online study and its costs on the quality of learners that our education system is producing. Speaking at a weekly Town Hall meeting under the topic, “Education and Covid19; What is the Way Forward?” Matanda pointed out that massive gaps in this technological solution are perpetuating poor quality products of the education system.
He explained that over the past months, he has witnessed firsthand how ineffective the online learning alternative has proven and that this ineffectiveness will soon be felt through the quality of school graduates at all levels.
Matanda pointed out that most students are simply dodging online classes while others are incapacitated by lack of data, poor network connections mainly in rural areas, or even lack of interest.
In his own class of over 240 students, he said that only about half of the learners have been attending, and yet even those in attendance have been struggling to concentrate. “In the course of the class, you can feel that you are only moving with about 20 students,” Matanda said on Monday during this weekly virtual Covid19 Town Hall meeting. So 20 out of a class of 240 gives a percentage of 9% of those who are actually learning as expected in Matanda’s classes.
“In my view, very soon we are going to start realizing the outcome of this because graduations have continued to happen. We are producing so many half-baked products from this system. The quality has dropped very low,” he remarked.
Jasper Namata, a parent of five children under 12 years who are all doing online studies decried the notion of online schooling as a solution to school closures. “While I am paying school fees for online classes for my children, I also realized that concentration is very poor and there was need to employ another teacher in my home as well to monitor the children and ensure that they are actively following through with their zoom classes,” she said.
Aside from challenges like low levels of concentration, lack of data and network connectivity issues, technological penetration is equally poor. The nation-wide lockdown left approximately 15 million Ugandan children, 600 thousand refugees, 542,122 teaching staff and 180 thousand non-teaching staff out of school, with 73 thousand learning institutions closed-up since March 2020. A survey conducted in 2018-2019, found that Ugandan homes had access of Radio at 65.3%, television sets 21.8%, household telephones at 10.8%, internet access (for at least one member) at 10.8% and computers at 5.9%. This implies that besides the limited effectiveness of online teaching, panelists noted that inaccessibility to technology is another serious outcome of the lockdown.
Panelists also highlighted the effect that school closures will have on the spirituality of the future generation, an aspect that is not given much attention while advocating for the reopening of schools. Pastor Jackie Barlow, who is also a parent noted that, “Religious founded schools are so focal to the grooming of the future generation. The deviance from set guidelines is minimal. But now, we are raising a valueless and degenerate society with the continued closure of schools.”
Mugoya Musa, a Program Officer- Right to Education at Initiative for Social and Economic Rights (ISER) added that, “Learners get an opportunity of going to church/mosque and also get a chance to get religious education in school. It is a shame that this is not happening now.”
“We are raising a Godless generation with the continued closure of schools because schools instill godly values in the young generation,” Pastor Barlow added.
Jothan Y. Burabuto, Executive Director, Uganda Youth Network emphasized that places of worship play a big role to keep the citizenry hopeful. To keep Kikuubo open and limiting access to places of worship is not logical,” meaning that the hope generated from places of worship is what keeps the population confident about the future. All speakers agreed that all stakeholders needed to be united if we are to progressively get education in the country back on track.
Shannon Mujera, one of the panelists and the Team Lead of National Christian Student’s Association Kenya was at the fore of advocating for the unity of stakeholders in pushing for the reopening of schools. “I advise Ugandans to move on a united front to push back. It would have been the same case in Kenya if all the stake holders like the parents, students, teachers, religious leaders did not make a united stand.”
But last month, President Museveni said all school will reopen early next year, 2022, regardless of how many people have taken Covid-19 jabs. However, the pronouncement drew mixed reactions, with different stakeholders calling on government to come up with ‘a plan that will work’ lest we brace ourselves for a dead first half of next year.
Matanda called for stimulus packages for school proprietors, parents and learners. “We know for sure that there are school proprietors and teachers who have since moved on. There are parents whose incomes have gone under yet we are planning on reopening without a clear plan. How do we attract back our teachers who have left? Let’s use December to prepare,” he said.
In support, Pastor Jackie Barlow, said it would make sense if schools reopened in December in order to hit the ground running. “If we reopened now, at least we would know that some kind of momentum is being built,” she said.
Burabuto also suggested during the meeting that, “If you are going to open in January, you might as well open in December. Business really does well in December and this can help many catch up and build up hope.”
