Secondary School Remains A Dream
Jul 20, 2003
THIS year, the first cohort of universal primary education beneficiaries will join secondary school. The issue is whether the existing schools will accommodate 1.6million students, reports <b>Fortunate Ahimbisibwe</b>
As the first beneficiaries of the Universal Primary Education (UPE) complete the primary cycle this year, government has a challenge to take them on to secondary level.
It is estimated that this year, 1.6 million children will leave primary education as a result of UPE.
The country’s tremendous success in expanding primary education has seen a tripling in the number of school going children at primary level. The issue is whether existing secondary schools will be able to accommodate them all.
Out of about 900 sub-counties, 428 currently are without government -aided schools.
Currently there are about 1,200 secondary schools, of which 621 are government -aided and the rest private.
As education experts across Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and representatives of the donor community met a month ago , their attention was now more focused on sustainable education.
The conference aimed at developing action plans for a sustainable approach to increase access, relevance, equity and quality in secondary education in Africa.
Questions were raised on the sustainability of quality education in Uganda and the whole of Africa.
In some parts of the country there are more private than government secondary schools. However, Yusuf Nsubuga, Commissioner for Secondary Education, told delegates at the SEIA conference that the state of most private schools is appaling.
“The shortage of textbooks and other learning materials is a major contributing factor to poor quality of education in some secondary schools in Uganda,†he says.
“The teaching in most of the private schools is more pathetic. Textbooks account for less than2% of the total expenditure for most secondary schools. The ministry of education contributes less than one of this amount,†he adds.
Nsubuga told delegates that: “There is lack of inspection of most schools in the country. There is a big challenge in regard to monitoring and supervision of private schools,â€
He says that the role has now been taken over by the recently established Education Standards Agency (ESA) which will be responsible for monitoring and inspections.
Education and Sports Minister, Dr. Khiddu Makubuya told delegates: “Government is still the main provider of primary education but the secondary sector is provided for by private providers to the tune of 54%.
“As governments, we need to set standards and improve the teaching and learning processes in secondary education significantly.â€
With the liberalisation of the education sector, there has been an enormous increase in the number of private schools in the country.
The commissioner for secondary education is worried that: “as the enrolments grow, the transition rate from P7 to secondary will fall from the currently over 50% to about 20% if no action is taken and secondary and technical school provision does not grow.â€
The explosion in student population poses a devastating effect in these schools unless government steps up The inspection network across the country.
“Some private schools are doing well but others are doing badly. Some of these schools are business oriented and this may cause inefficiency,†John Bosco Mujumba, the chairman of the Private Schools Association said.
Government is well aware of the challenge of proving good quality secondary education.
“Measures are being taken to ensure that standards are progressively improved. It is the duty of the ESA to supervise the standard of private schools and take the necessary action. At the moment, there is lack of inspection of most schools in the country,†Nsubuga said.
Investment in private secondary schools is being encouraged through provision of technical support, guidance and financial incentives such as loans, grants and tax holidays.
Enrolment under UPE exceeded even the most optimistic projections. The gross enrolment ratio ( the total population in schools as a percentage of the population of 6-12 years), which stood at 69% in 1990 and 80% in 1996 , jumped to 124% in 1997.
“Failure to absorb the growing number of primary school leavers will undermine universal primary education and broader national goals like the elimination of poverty,†Nsubuga noted.
To prepare for such challenges, the Ministry of Education and Sports is working on a “strategic plan†for secondary education.
Under the plan, enrolment in the first four years of secondary school should rise from 149,840 in 1999 to 262,074 students by 2003.
This will be achieved through building more schools, rehabilitating and expanding existing schools and utilising the available schools more efficiently,†observed Nsubuga.
Apart from improving on access, equity and quality of learning, government is also targeting teachers.
There is a plan to improve the quality of teacher education, and re-focus the curriculum away from an emphasis on academic subjects towards vocational and technical training.
Only time will tell whether the strategic plan for secondary schooling will improve access, quality and equity.
Ends
It is estimated that this year, 1.6 million children will leave primary education as a result of UPE.
The country’s tremendous success in expanding primary education has seen a tripling in the number of school going children at primary level. The issue is whether existing secondary schools will be able to accommodate them all.
Out of about 900 sub-counties, 428 currently are without government -aided schools.
Currently there are about 1,200 secondary schools, of which 621 are government -aided and the rest private.
As education experts across Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and representatives of the donor community met a month ago , their attention was now more focused on sustainable education.
The conference aimed at developing action plans for a sustainable approach to increase access, relevance, equity and quality in secondary education in Africa.
Questions were raised on the sustainability of quality education in Uganda and the whole of Africa.
In some parts of the country there are more private than government secondary schools. However, Yusuf Nsubuga, Commissioner for Secondary Education, told delegates at the SEIA conference that the state of most private schools is appaling.
“The shortage of textbooks and other learning materials is a major contributing factor to poor quality of education in some secondary schools in Uganda,†he says.
“The teaching in most of the private schools is more pathetic. Textbooks account for less than2% of the total expenditure for most secondary schools. The ministry of education contributes less than one of this amount,†he adds.
Nsubuga told delegates that: “There is lack of inspection of most schools in the country. There is a big challenge in regard to monitoring and supervision of private schools,â€
He says that the role has now been taken over by the recently established Education Standards Agency (ESA) which will be responsible for monitoring and inspections.
Education and Sports Minister, Dr. Khiddu Makubuya told delegates: “Government is still the main provider of primary education but the secondary sector is provided for by private providers to the tune of 54%.
“As governments, we need to set standards and improve the teaching and learning processes in secondary education significantly.â€
With the liberalisation of the education sector, there has been an enormous increase in the number of private schools in the country.
The commissioner for secondary education is worried that: “as the enrolments grow, the transition rate from P7 to secondary will fall from the currently over 50% to about 20% if no action is taken and secondary and technical school provision does not grow.â€
The explosion in student population poses a devastating effect in these schools unless government steps up The inspection network across the country.
“Some private schools are doing well but others are doing badly. Some of these schools are business oriented and this may cause inefficiency,†John Bosco Mujumba, the chairman of the Private Schools Association said.
Government is well aware of the challenge of proving good quality secondary education.
“Measures are being taken to ensure that standards are progressively improved. It is the duty of the ESA to supervise the standard of private schools and take the necessary action. At the moment, there is lack of inspection of most schools in the country,†Nsubuga said.
Investment in private secondary schools is being encouraged through provision of technical support, guidance and financial incentives such as loans, grants and tax holidays.
Enrolment under UPE exceeded even the most optimistic projections. The gross enrolment ratio ( the total population in schools as a percentage of the population of 6-12 years), which stood at 69% in 1990 and 80% in 1996 , jumped to 124% in 1997.
“Failure to absorb the growing number of primary school leavers will undermine universal primary education and broader national goals like the elimination of poverty,†Nsubuga noted.
To prepare for such challenges, the Ministry of Education and Sports is working on a “strategic plan†for secondary education.
Under the plan, enrolment in the first four years of secondary school should rise from 149,840 in 1999 to 262,074 students by 2003.
This will be achieved through building more schools, rehabilitating and expanding existing schools and utilising the available schools more efficiently,†observed Nsubuga.
Apart from improving on access, equity and quality of learning, government is also targeting teachers.
There is a plan to improve the quality of teacher education, and re-focus the curriculum away from an emphasis on academic subjects towards vocational and technical training.
Only time will tell whether the strategic plan for secondary schooling will improve access, quality and equity.
Ends