This article was first published in the New Vision on May 26, 2021
Uganda is taking a new turn, three decades since the last review of its education policy. An eight-member team was, a fortnight ago, commissioned by the First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Mrs Janet Museveni, to oversee the review of the education policy in Uganda. The report to be filed by this team will form a basis for the formulation of a new Government White Paper on education. The First Lady, when commissioning the team, called the event, historic. Conan Businge write.
Commissioner: Alex Kakooza
Kakooza is a lawyer and administrator. He has a bachelor of laws from Makerere University and a post graduate diploma in legal practice from the Law Development Centre.
He also has a Bachelor of Arts in social work and social administration from Makerere University, post graduate diploma in business management from the Uganda Management Institute, masters of business with emphasis in corporate finance, capital markets and financial institutions from the Management School, University of Edinburgh, Scotland in the UK. He is the education ministry permanent secretary since October 2016. Previously, he worked as the undersecretary/ finance and administration at the agriculture ministry from January 2014 to September 2016, undersecretary/finance and administration at the works ministry from September 2008 to December 2014. He also worked as the principal assistant secretary/ logistics at the defence ministry (2002-2007); principal assistant secretary/finance (1999-2002) at the Office of the President and principal assistant secretary (April 1991-1999) at the energy ministry.
Chairperson: Col (Rtd) Nuwe Amanya Mushega
Mushega, is a lawyer, retired politician, diplomat and civil servant. He attended Mbarara High School from 1963 to 1966, for a Cambridge School Certificate (O’level). He went to Kings College Budo (1967-1968) for Cambridge School Certificate (A’level). He obtained his bachelor of laws degree in 1972 from the University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania and a master of laws from Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario, Canada, in 1974. Following his graduation from the University of Dar es Salaam, he returned to Uganda in 1972 and taught as an assistant lecturer in the faculty of law at Makerere University. After obtaining his masters degree, he became a lecturer in the faculty of law at the University of Zambia in Lusaka. He returned to Makerere University in 1979 as a lecturer and continued in that capacity until 1981. In 1981, Mushega joined the National Resistance Army, where he served as the chief national political commissar and rose to the rank of colonel.
Fact File
2007 To Date: Director of Mushega and Associates Consultants Ltd.
2001: Appointed by the East African Community heads of state to serve a five-year term as the secretary general
1998-APRIL 2001: Public service minister
1989-1998: Education minister
1996-2001: Member of Parliament representing Igara East in Bushenyi district
1994-1995: Delegate in the Constituent Assembly that developed the 1995 Constitution
FEBRUARY 1988-APRIL 1989: Local government minister
1986 TO 1988: Assistant defence minister and chief political commissar, National Resistance Army (NRA) 1985-1986: NRA Chief political commissar
1981-1986: Military officer in the liberation war.
Commissioner Irene Nanfuka Rusoke
Rusoke is a lawyer. She has a bachelor of laws from Makerere University. She was a member of a curriculum development team on materials for Ugandan social studies and math with the Accelerated Education Enterprise team in South Africa. She attended and participated in a profound/imaginal learning teacher training workshop facilitated by a team from Imaginal Education in Canada, hosted by Centre for Advanced Strategic Leadership Uganda.
She has served on a team of external examination moderators for the International Certificate of Christian Education, among others. She has been working in the education sphere and has been involved and trained to instruct in varied curricula, including Cambridge, International Baccalaureate and Accelerated Christian Education. She has over 20 years of experience in education instruction.
She is the principal of Orchard International Christian School. Before that, she did private tutoring to support special needs students in their homes for several years. She had worked as a teaching assistant at the International School of Uganda.
Commissioner: Dr Prosperous Nankindu Kavuma
Nankindu has a Bachelor of Arts degree with education from Makerere University, a masters of education, languages and literature from Makerere University and a PhD in linguistics from the University of Western Cape, South Africa.
She is a senior lecturer in the department of languages and communication at Kyambogo University. She is also the minister for social services in the Kingdom of Buganda.
She is an assessment expert, teacher trainer and researcher with considerable experience in language education, policy analysis with a critical discourse approach.
She is an enthusiastic pursuer of opportunities for membership, keen on lessons to learn out of all situations, an individual with great ability for multitasking without losing focus of main issues and desired goals. She is keen on embracing new approaches to learning, doing and understand the inherent challenges of these approaches. She has zeal for interdisciplinary approaches to learning.
Commissioner And Secretary: Brighton Barugahare
Barugahare is a lawyer and public policy analyst. He has a masters of laws from Makerere University, a post graduate diploma in legal practice from the Law Development Centre and a bachelor of laws degree from Makerere University.
He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in social sciences from Makerere University and a masters of public policy from the School of Government, Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand.
Barugahare has over 18 years’ experience in the public sector as a policy analyst.
He is an advocate of Courts of Judicature of Uganda and a member of the Uganda Law Society as well as the East African Law Society. Barugahare is also a member of the Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management, based in Washington, DC in US.
He is the assistant commissioner of policy analysis at the education ministry. Previously, he worked as the principal policy analyst at the Office of the Prime Minister and senior policy analyst and policy analyst at the public service ministry. He is well-versed with public policy analysis processes and has long experience in policy work with the Government. Barugahare has participated in the formulation processes of several policies, including the public service training policy, 2006; the Uganda public service standing orders, 2010; the national policy on public sector monitoring and evaluation, approved by Cabinet in May 2013; the national co-ordination policy, approved by Cabinet on September 23, 2015; the Technical vocational education and training policy approved by Cabinet on January 14, 2019 and the national teachers’ policy approved by Cabinet on April 1, 2019, among others.
Deputy Chairperson: Dr Joseph Muvawala
Dr Muvawala is an economist. He has a PhD in economics, a masters of arts in economic policy and planning and a bachelors of arts degree in social science (social administration and economics), all from Makerere University.
He is the executive director of the National Planning Authority. He worked as the chief country economist of the African Development Bank (Southern Sudan) from August 2012 to 2013, principal economist (education) at the same bank from October 2009 to August 2012 and the assistant commissioner project formulation, planning and budgeting at the education ministry from 2007 to 2009. He was also a principal economist (education planning and project formulation) at the education ministry from 2000 to 2007 and a consultant transport economist at Prome Consultants doing feasibility studies of the Northern Bypass from May to July 2000. He also worked as an immigration officer at the internal affairs ministry from May 1996 to 1999.
Commissioner: Eng. John Nasasira
Nasasira graduated in 1976 with bachelors degree in civil engineering from the University of Nairobi, Kenya. He then qualified as a chartered engineer (UK) in 1985 and, for several years, he was a member of the Institute of Engineers, UK; a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers and a member of the Institute of Engineers of Kenya. He is a fellow and the current patron of the Uganda Institute of Professional Engineers. He worked for 13 years in Kenya and Uganda with several international firms of consulting engineers engaged in projects for the design and supervision of buildings, water, airports, roads and bridges in Eastern Africa and the Middle East (1976-1989).
Nasasira was first elected to Parliament to represent Kazo Constituency in February 1989 and was re-elected in 1996, 2001, 2006 and 2011. In May 2016, he retired from active politics after serving as a Member of Parliament for 27 years.
He was also a delegate to the Constituent Assembly (1994-1995)
- April 1989-June 1991 and April 1992-November 1994: Deputy works minister
- July 1991-March 1992: Presidential advisor on public works
- December 1994-June 1995 and July 1995- June 1996: State minister for agriculture
- July 1996-July 1998, August 1998-May 2006 and June 2006-May 2011: Works, transport and communications minister
- June 2011-July 2012: Government Chief Whip/Cabinet minister
- August-October 2012: Minister for General Duties in the Prime Minister’s Office
- November 2012-May 2013: Gender, labour and social development minister
- May 2013 to June 2016: Information and communications technology minister.
Commissioner Dr Jacklyn Arinaitwe Makaaru
Arinaitwe is an economist. She has a bachelor of arts in economics from the University of Alabama at Birmingham, USA; a masters of public administration from the University of Alabama at Birmingham, focusing on public policy and economic development.
Arinaitwe has a PhD in public policy and public administration from the University of Kentucky, Lexington, US. She is also a researcher and policy analyst with over 13 years of research experience. She is the director Ace Policy Research Institute Ltd, a research, advisory and consultancy firm. Arinaitwe is well-versed with the political economy, dynamics and governance issues in developing countries, specifically in Africa. She has diverse work experience having worked with think tanks and academic institutions on socioeconomic issues, education policy, economic empowerment, employment creation, public expenditure governance and sustainable development. She has worked closely with the Government at different levels, as well as civil society organisations in many public policy spheres.
Commissioner: Prof. John David Kabasa
Prof. Kabasa is a veterinarian. He has a bachelor of veterinary medicine from Makerere University, a masters of science (Vet. Med) from Makerere University and a PhD in veterinary medicine from Gottingen University, Germany. He is a member of the Makerere University top management, principal of the College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Biosecurity.
In February 2018, Kabasa was awarded the Golden Jubilee Independence Medal of Honour by President Yoweri Museveni for his distinguished service in championing educational reforms and transformation.
In April 2001, he was awarded the International Laureate of the Development Co-operation Prize at Brussels, Belgium, for outstanding research in ecosystem health and ecological production. He has served on national and international governing bodies, including being the Africa delegate on the International Council for Veterinary Medical Education at Washington, DC, US; member of the advisory committee of the Africa Union Inter-African Bureau for Animal Resources; member of the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development Council for Regional Veterinary Education at Sheik in the Horn of Africa and member of the national think tank on the Presidential Scientific Initiative for Epidemics.
He is also a council member of: The Uganda National Curriculum Development Centre, Makerere University Business School, Kyambogo University, the National Agricultural Research Organisation, Jinja Medical Laboratory Training School and a senate member of Busitema University, Makerere University, as well as a board member of the Uganda Veterinary Board.
Commissioner: Monica Abenakyo Monge
Monge has 25 years of experience in teaching. She has a bachelor of arts with education from Makerere University and a masters of arts in organisational leadership and management from the Uganda Christian University, Mukono.
Monge has experience in working with fellow educationists and other like-minded individuals to develop simple and practical solutions to improve the learning environment of the rural poor.
She is a leadership trainer who loves to develop and support others to take up challenging roles. She likes working with girls and young mothers and mentoring them to deal with life challenges. She is a results-oriented person who draws strength in teamwork to achieve results.
