Katikkiro roots for more education investment

Jun 25, 2015

Buganda premier Charles Peter Mayiga says education is an indispensable requirement in the socio-economic development of any nation.


By Andrew Ssenyonga        

The Katikkiro of Buganda Charles Peter Mayiga has said that education is an indispensable requirement in the socio-economic development of any nation.

Investing in quality education, he said, guarantees the eradication of poverty and Ugandans must ensure collective responsibility towards the venture.

"By investing more in education this would give the country a sustainable, strategic advantage in an increasingly dynamic and competitive global marketplace.”

Mayiga made the remarks during a two-day fundraising drive in Rubaga division where he visited over ten primary and secondary schools this week.

He said the central and Mengo governments recognizes education as a fundamental building block of the economy and has thereby embarked on several reforms and policy measures towards it being accessible, relevant and affordable by seeking sustainable means of funding.

"This bold initiative demonstrates a commitment to the Better Uganda agenda.”

Calling for more private investment in the education sector, the Buganda prime minister said the best schools cannot be created by government funds only.

"If we want to be a first-class nation, we need to have first-class universities and schools.”

The fundraising drive garnered over sh120m from Rubaga division. It was aimed at raising funds for the development of Kabaka's lake in Ndeeba, Kampala.

He noted that quality education requires that all stakeholders provide the right inputs that would attract excellent results.

"These could be done through skilled teachers, availability of basic infrastructure, effective teaching and learn, use of instructional time, good textbooks, monitoring, supervision and responsible parenting.

"With more investment and improvement in the quality of education in the country, the returns on such investments would be extremely productive for the country and the future would be bright,” said Mayiga.

At the same function, Rubaga division Mayor Joyce Ssebugwawo said the falling standard of education and the rising spate of indiscipline among school children could be partly blamed on teachers and the little investment in the sector.

"Some teachers, instead of spending more hours to teach the children, rather use school hours to engage in personal activities – which makes it difficult for the teacher to complete the academic syllabus."

Noting that the Kabaka's lake is one of the few monumental manmade lakes in Africa, Mayiga stressed the need to preserve it and safeguard it from being contaminated.

"If we don't act early to preserve the Kabaka's lake which is a major heritage site for Uganda, it can easily get extinct in the next 20 to 30 years.”

The lake, now surrounded by people who have turned it into a dumping ground for solid waste and toxic substances, was dug on the orders of Kabaka Mwanga II between 1886 and 1887 who had intended to expand it from Ndeeba to Kibuye and connect it to Lake Victoria through Munyonyo.
 

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