By Nelson Kiva
The new lower secondary curriculum is already making a noticeable difference in skills development in schools that have fully embraced it.
Alvine Augustine Ggali, a student at Our Lady of Good Counsel Secondary School Gayaza in Wakiso district, says he is benefiting from the new curriculum.
“I did not know how to plant vegetables such as cabbages and carrots, which is no longer the case. I now know that cabbages can’t be planted in the main garden first and carrots do not need to be planted in a nursery bed first,” he says.
Ggali, who is also learning entrepreneurial skills, says he believes he will not be a job seeker, but a job creator.
“During the holidays, I will plant my crops using the skills I have acquired at school and harvest during the second term holidays for sale to nearby community market. On the other hand, subjects such as entrepreneurship have taught us to be job creators.
Ruth Kollet Namugabo, a Senior Two, student says through the new curriculum, she is learning how to do research at the school library and computer lab.
“This curriculum is better than what we had before given that the learning and teaching sessions are enjoyable and it makes the mind active since you have to do a lot of research,” she says.
The disadvantage of the new curriculum is some students abandon projects they are supposed to do for others, she says.
Catherine Kamara, a Senior Five student, admits that despite being in A’level, she finds the lower secondary school curriculum far better than the old one.
“I attend some of the teaching sessions of the new curriculum whenever I am free. I have since acquired the skills of rearing poultry. This beefed up my understanding of the enterprise that we are already doing at home,” Kamara says.
She adds that she now has confidence in running a poultry farm.
Emily Kitto Mwaka, the deputy headteacher in charge of academics at Our Lady of Good Counsel SS, says: “There is an already a difference between Senior One students and those of other classes using the new curriculum because learning is so joyful compared to the other classes.”
Mwaka, who is also a master trainer in the revised curriculum, says the students did not find extreme challenges in adopting the new curriculum since their teachers were trained and embraced it positively.
“The students were glad because the subjects have reduced to 12 from 15 subjects. Learning starts at 8:00am and we ensure that after 3:00pm, learners go for research in the library or academic clubs to acquire a skill that will be examined by the Directorate of Industrial Training (DIT) at the end of Senior Three,” she says.
Students opt for performing arts, sports, going to the school farm to acquire a skill or religious clubs.
The school recently exhibited items made by the students using skills acquired from different vocational disciplines taught at the school.
“What we have exhibited, is the outcome of the 3:00-5:00pm activities where our students are always engaged with the guidance of patron teachers,” Mwaka said.
CURRICULUM REFORM
The curriculum reforms as contained in a January 23, 2020 circular by the National Curriculum Development Centre (NCDC), target enhanced quality of education to produce secondary school learners with employable skills and competitive in the job market.
The curriculum review process, which started in 2018, according to NCDC, was not only informed by the need to equip a secondary school learner with employable skills, but it is part of the education framework to align with the country’s development plans in Vision 2040.
SCHOOLS STILL STRUGGLE
ADMINISTRATORS SPEAK OUT
Sr Florence Babirye, the headteacher of Our Lady of Good Counsel SS Gayaza, says one of the challenges of a competence-based curriculum was the fact that the teachers have to be continuously trained to deliver it effectively.
Babirye says the fact that some schools were still not conversant with the curriculum basics is undermining its implementation.
“The students sometimes get very excited with this new curriculum because it is interesting and forget that they have to learn,” she adds.
“When they get engrossed in these activities they forget to take their own notes, while the introverts are left behind because they may not actively participate in these activities.”
Babirye, however, says the new curriculum was helping learners to acquire skills that are going to help them in the future such as intra-personal skills, communication, teamwork, problem[1]solving, decision making and confidence.
Recently, David Atuhura, the proprietor of Buhaguzi Model Secondary School in Buhimba town council in Kikuube district, said the curriculum and its mode of assessment were costly.
“The curriculum requires the students to have a lot of outdoor activities in form of projects so how can a school on a small piece of land or renting a small place find space for such projects?” he says.
Atuhura Internet use presents another worry since most schools, especially in rural areas do not have access to the Internet.
“Even if we are to have the Internet, the costs involved are exorbitant and we also have cases where even some teachers have not had a smartphone which complicates the entire situation,” Atuhura adds.
ABOUT THE NEW CURRICULUM
The competence-based curriculum was introduced to the Senior One class this year, effecting a paradigm shift from theory-based assessment to skills evaluation.
Quality education in Vision 2040 is one of the key components for developing the human resource to increase the country’s economic competitiveness; support technological advancement and contribute to the well-being and health of the population.
The new curriculum reforms are also aimed at addressing overlaps, says John Okumu Emorut, the head of the secondary department at the National Curriculum Development Centre. He adds that the new curriculum was also aimed at reducing content where learning was going on from Monday to Sunday just for higher grades.
“Content was very theoretical, which did not add value. Ugandans learn a lot about everything, elsewhere but learn very little about Uganda,” Emorut says.
He said learners are to be empowered to earn a living other than having a lot of knowledge that they cannot use to generate an income.
Emorut highlighted that it was high time for all schools to embrace the new curriculum for the better.
The success of the curriculum, according to the experts, also requires all stakeholders to play their part.
Deogracious Ojok, a teacher at Trinity Senior Academy Bwebajja, insists that parents have a critical role in ensuring the effective implementation of the new curriculum by providing the required learning materials.
“For example, if learners are going to make yoghurt in biology or candles in entrepreneurship, parents are required to avail those materials. Some schools are going to charge some project fees if the curriculum’s intentions are to be realised. If not, schools will increase fees to cover the cost,” he said.
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