Uganda must do a lot to achieve middle income status in 2021

Sep 28, 2016

President Yoweri Museveni while taking oath as President for the 2016 – 2021 term at Kololo independence grounds on May 12 this year pledged to work and transform Uganda into a middle-income country by the year 2020.

International economist and poverty alleviation expert Prof. Augustus Nuwagaba has said Uganda may not achieve middle income status by 2021. He said the five year period is too small for the country to achieve the status.

"Uganda may achieve improved human development index by 2021, but not achieving middle income status," said Nuwagaba.

President Yoweri Museveni while taking oath as President for the 2016 - 2021 term at Kololo independence grounds on May 12 this year pledged to work and transform Uganda into a middle-income country by the year 2020.

 

Professor Nuwagaba was speaking to Kampala Rotary Club members at Hotel Africana on Tuesday evening.

The meeting was attended by rotary club members from different parts of Kampala such as, Kololo, Muyenga, Kampala north among others.

Meanwhile, rotarians decried challenges in Uganda's education sector that they for instance said they need government intervention. They pointed out challenges like lack of enough infrastructures in Government schools, meager teachers' salaries, and lack of teachers' housing facilities in schools among others.

Oscar Semweya Musoke, principal of Taibah International school said teachers, especially in primary schools are paid low salaries a factor that affects the way they teach.

"The Government gives a wage of sh280,000 to a primary school teacher in government-aided schools per month, which is too little" said Semweya.

The nationwide assessment conducted by Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB), indicated that less than 20% of tutors at Primary Teacher Colleges could interpret graphs in similar exams, while only 5.7 per cent final-year students passed.

The pattern of massive failure was repeated when in-service teachers were tested in the same paper, with only eight per cent able to interpret the graphs.

Tutors performed slightly better than the 30 per cent in-service teachers who passed the number patterns and sequences questions. Trainee teachers tailed at 8.8 per cent.

The Kololo rotary club President Byanyima Rosemary said universal primary and secondary school education has enhanced access to education but needs to be improved.

Peter Kirimunda, Kololo rotary club member blamed ministry of education and sports for the loopholes in education.

"An individual wakes up in the morning rents and starts a school without a library, enough classrooms, playground but the ministry licenses him," said Kirimunda.

 

 

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