This article was first published in the New Vision on January 13, 2021
By Conan Businge
The closure of schools due to COVID-19, no doubt, caused many disruptions in the education sector. However, a new year is here and the different stakeholders, with the education ministry in the lead, are determined to make 2021 better.
A new academic year is here. Teachers, parents, students and the Government are hoping for better this year.
There are many dreams and aspirations, but also worries for the education sector. Re-opening of schools is still a puzzle. Re-aligning the school and institutions’ calendar, reviewing of the A’level curriculum starting this year and having learning step into a digital era are just a few of the dreams.
Much as there are still concerns on low funding for the sector, poor quality education, and COVID-19 disruptions, educationists, parents and the Government are optimistic the sector will weather the storms.
Mike Kironde, the chairperson of the Proprietors of Private Educational Institutions’ Association, says: “The feeling is that we have had the worst. Nothing could beat us harder than it was last year. We are in a re-awakening phase.”
However, unlike the past, this year has started at a time when parents do not know when their children will report back to school, save for those in candidate classes; owing to the COVID-19 pandemic.
For the first time, the year has started with no documented academic calendar. However, if we are to go by the Government promises, there is hope that schools will re-open and learners will finalise their academic calendar. A few months ago, the First Lady and education minister, Mrs Janet Museveni, assured the country that there will be no dead year, despite the disruptions caused by COVID-19.
Jessica Atulinda, a parent, says: “I hope the schools can open soon so that our children do not lose a whole academic year. Our children will have lost so much.”
However, it is not that all parents are excited about the Government setting the re-opening dates for learners. Some of the parents are concerned about raising the tuition fees for children amidst loss of their jobs and disrupted businesses because of the lockdown.
Joseph Opio, a resident of Kitgum, says: “We are still in a real puzzle. We want our children to go back to school. We are just not sure we will be able to pay their tuition fees on time.”
Much as the promise of re-opening schools seems like a pipe dream to many parents and they see themselves heading into a dead year, the state minister for higher education, Dr John Chrysostom Muyingo, in his Christmas message, said a no-dead year is still alive. He said schools will re-open and children will be able to close off the academic year, which they started in 2020.
The Government, towards the end of last year, sent out inspectors to various parts of the country to ascertain if schools were able to take on more learners in lower classes. And a report has already been filed with the top management of the education ministry.
The education ministry permanent secretary, Alex Kakooza, says he has received the report and, “It will be tabled before Government and a decision will be taken when schools can resume”.
“We expect schools to open soon for lower classes,” he says.
This year has also started at a time when the country is heading into elections, slated for next week on January 14. These elections, according to the education ministry, led to the postponement of the re-opening of schools for the candidate classes, from January 11 to January 18.
Expect A Change
The country has so much to look up to this year. Mrs Museveni, in an exclusive statement issued towards the end of the year, said: “Under the strategic objective of ensuring delivery of relevant and quality education and training, the Government will strengthen the current inspection system at national and local government levels by increasing the frequency of inspection of schools and institutions and use of e-systems.”
Most educationists argue that the country was, indeed, caught off-guard by COVID-19. The country went into a lockdown with no effective plan for an e-learning system. Much as universities have all been asked to start online courses, and about 50% of them are now teaching online, there is hope that more will get online.
Mrs Museveni says online learning should also gradually be taken to all other levels of education; starting with ensuring that all universities can have their lectures online.
In other prospects of the education sector, she says there will be special focus on the quality of leadership, management, teaching, the learning process and learner achievement.
“There will be a need for developing and implementing an education and training assessment policy at all levels that integrates development of skills and competences alongside academic achievement in the final results,” she says.
Mrs. Museveni adds: “Our focus will also be on revising the upper secondary education curriculum, as well as training of caregivers and teachers, recruitment of teachers, teacher educators, tutors and lecturers. This will enable them meet the set standards of student-to-teacher ratio.”
“In our plans, the Government will also increase the staff in public universities to at least 55%. The Government will also establish an institutional framework for co-ordinating skills development through setting up a Technical and Vocational Education and Training Council. It will enhance the capacity of universities to teach science and technology through rehabilitation and expansion of science, technology and innovation learning facilities in the nine public universities, among others.”
She says to ensure efficiency and effectiveness in education and sports service delivery at all levels, the Government plans to restructure the sector, strengthen inspection and supervision of both public and private education and training institutions. Mrs Museveni says there are plans to strengthen the National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) through increased funding and staffing.
Welcome Move
The executive director of NCHE says that will be vital in strengthening the quality of higher education in the country.
“We have always had limited funds. With additional funding, we will have stronger supervision of all institutions of higher learning.”
The deputy vice-chancellor of Victoria University, Dr Lawrence Muganga, says: “Indeed, the strength of any monitoring body lies in its ability to have enough staffing, strong laws and enough funds to have the supervisions.
“We are optimistic that Uganda will soon be the best in the region, with a stronger higher education. This will be a great step for the development of economy with international students flocking the country. It will also help develop the country’s human resource,” Dr Muganga says.
Improving Management
Mrs Museveni says the Government is planning to review the selection criteria of the people who sit on school management committees and boards of governors as a way of improving the management of schools.
The First Lady also says the Government plans to develop and implement a policy for regulation of private provision at all levels of education and sports, among others.
“Successful implementation of the above interventions is expected to result in improved sector outputs and outcomes, whose progress is going to be monitored through key result areas. We shall also mitigate the effects of COVD-19 through continuity of learning, training the schools and learners in psycho-social skills and resilience to manage disasters. We will also train all teachers to improve their skills and ensure improved learning outcomes,” she says.
“We hope to revive the quality of our education and restore our position as the centre of excellence in Africa. By the grace of God and our commitment to improve our learning outcomes, we shall be able to provide the nation with a workforce that has relevant competences, values and attitudes to transform our nation through harnessing the abundant natural resources and ICT,” Mrs Museveni adds.
“Therefore, the future of our education sector is bright. Our children are our future and our future is our children. We are convinced that every child matters and each of them can achieve their maximum potential provided they learn in a conducive and safe environment both at home and school.”
More Changes Coming
Based on the 2021 education ministry’s plan, the Government wants to procure textbooks for schools around the country. The budgeting process for this is in the offing, ahead of a new budget for the next financial year.
Muyingo says: “The purchase of textbooks will be for both primary and secondary schools. At primary level, we plan to buy textbooks and other instructional materials in English and in the local languages under the thematic curriculum, social studies and science.”
“We also have plans to buy 3.5 million books for all O’level schools in the country, to support the promotion of the new curriculum. Part of these books will be donated to private secondary schools to ensure that our learners are not left out,” he adds.
Kakooza says there are plans to rehabilitate 10 traditional schools, complete the construction of 44 secondary schools, set up new 60 secondary schools in new sub-counties without schools. A total of 200 school computer laboratories will be set up and each of these laboratories will get 100 computers.
He also says there are plans to develop and disseminate a National Council for Higher Education Assurance Framework. The first framework was released by NCHE in October 2006.
As they contemplated the reprint of the publication, Kakooza says, it became clear that they needed to inform higher education institutions and the public about the process of licensing higher education institutions.
Education Minister on Bigger Picture
The First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Mrs Janet Museveni, says the Government plans to develop and implement a policy for regulation of private provision at all levels of education and sports, among others.
“Successful implementation of the above interventions is expected to result in improved sector outputs and outcomes whose progress is going to be monitored through key result areas. We shall also mitigate the effects of COVD-19 through continuity of learning, training the schools and learners in psycho-social skills and resilience to manage disasters. We will also training all teachers to improve their skills and ensure improved learning outcomes,” she says.
“We hope to revive the quality of our education and restore our position as the centre of excellence in Africa. By the grace of God and our commitment to improve our learning outcomes, we shall be able to provide the nation with a workforce that has relevant competences, values and attitudes to transform our nation through harnessing the abundant natural resources and ICT,” Mrs Museveni adds.
Relief To Teachers In Private Schools
Teachers in private schools have also been complaining about the low pay and the delayed release of the sh20b promised to them by the President.
Alice Baguma, a teacher in a private school in Mityana, says: “We have been waiting for this money for so long. I even doubt we will get it.”
However, Kakooza says: “There is no need for doubting. We have asked all schools and districts to create associations and select leaders. We have worked out these structures to ensure there is quick distribution of these funds to the teachers around the country.” On the issue of salaries, Muyingo says with the new Teacher Policy, all teachers in private schools will soon have a uniform pay. “The policy was passed and we are now working on its implementation
