Change curricular, advises Bitamazire

By Carol Natukunda

COMMONWEALTH countries should adopt a curriculum on climate change, to deal with its adverse effects, education minister Namirembe Bitamazire has said.
“Changes in scientific knowledge and its application are altering man’s understanding of the universe.

The negative impacts of global climatic change on the environment and on man’s wellbeing present an emergency that the Commonwealth is called upon to address through education curricular in member states.”

Bitamazire was speaking at the education for transformation workshop at Hotel Africana on Tuesday. The workshop was part of the Commonwealth People’s Forum, aimed at exploring ways of improving education in the context of Millennium Development Goals.

It was organised by the Commonwealth Consortium for Education and the City of Manukau Education Trust, an Australia-based charity.
The minister noted that sustainable development was a building block for peace, adding that it was critical that Commonwealth member states address it.

Bitamazire also noted the need for using education a tool for poverty alleviation and development.
“The future development of the world hinges more than ever on the capacity of individuals and countries to acquire, adopt and advance knowledge.

“Failure to eliminate poverty and hunger, especially among communities in the developing countries calls for a holistic approach to education.”

She called for increased investment to provide equitable education especially for the poor and marginalised groups.
“I am happy that the civil society is brought on board and enabled to explore ways in which education for transformation can be realised through development of human potential.

“There is no doubt that human development is at the heart of any development process and it is the level and quality of human potential that determines the level of social-economic and political development.”