Govt, INCE partner to improve education quality in Uganda
Jun 14, 2023
The project leader, Jaco Ottevangen, said as an NGO, they see several challenges and opportunities in the education sector of Uganda, insisting that they want to start with opportunities.

INCE officials and District Education Officers from the education ministry after signing an MOU to improve the quality of education in Uganda at Forest Cottages in Kampala. (Credit: Douglas Mubiru)
Jacqueline Nakandi
Journalist @New Vision
----------
The International Network for Christian Education (INCE) has collaborated with the Ministry of Education and Sports to improve the quality of education in the country.
INCE Uganda is an initiative of Woord en Daad, a Non-government Organisation based in the Netherlands.
Signing a memorandum of understanding Thursday at Forest Cottages Bukoto in Kampala on the project implementation, Samuel Davis, the INCE national coordinator said they are to contribute to the betterment and improvement of the education system in Uganda.
Samuel Davis, the International Network for Christian Education national coordinator, said education is not only going through the classroom but also forming the whole person, building their morals, values, and beliefs. (All Photos by Douglas Mubiru)
Davis’ remarks left a consortium of seven organisations namely; UNITE, Livingstone International University, Bereans Educational Initiative, Global Leadership Summit, TRULI Consults, and Diester Christian University and Woord en Daad, who developed project sign an MOU plus several District Education Officers (DEO) from the education ministry.
The DEOs’ roles will be sharing insight, and input and actively involved in INCE activities in their respective districts.
According to Davis, education is not only going through the classroom but also forming the whole person, building their morals, values, and beliefs.
Livingstone International University Vice Chancellor in Budaka district, Dr Henri Buregea (L), and International Network for Christian Education project leader, Jaco Ottevangen (R) during the conference in Kampala.
“INCE Uganda aims to improve the quality of education in the country, more especially the quality of teacher training in general on values of integration in the teacher education, strengthening the capacity of teacher educators and empowering local leadership,” said Davis.
He revealed that with their partners and government actors, NGOs and universities, they also intend to improve the teacher-training curriculum.
He added, “We are here to think for our country and children because they deserve a better education. We are imagining a future with graduates who are value-based, skilled, all-around problem solvers and critical thinkers.”
The project will first be implemented in six districts of Zombo, Otuke, Bukedea, Jinja, Ntungamo and Kasanda before spreading to others.
Dr Buregea said their partnership with INCE Uganda will help reduce the unemployment rate in the country.
The project leader, Jaco Ottevangen, said as an NGO, they see several challenges and opportunities in the education sector of Uganda, insisting that they want to start with opportunities.
“We see a lot of committed people, organisations and we want to work with them,” he said adding, “We want to facilitate them, stand on their shoulders and let them grow, empower them to improve on their quality of education.”
Ottevangen said they are committed to offering a 50% scholarship to the selected neediest teachers from the six pilot districts.
“We are going to aid these neediest teachers pursue Bachelor’s degrees in education as per the government requite at their respective campuses,” he added.
The Livingstone International University Vice Chancellor in Budaka district, Dr Henri Buregea, observed that two third of graduates in Uganda are not employed, therefore, partnering with INCE Uganda to offer education where graduates are job creators and not seekers.
“So we believe this partnership will deal with the unemployment rate because we shall produce graduates for job creation not seeking,” he said.
Otuke District Education Officer Lucy Achen addresses the press.
The Otuke District Education Officer, Lucy Achen, said they were happy about the project that Woord en Daad brought to Uganda, especially picking the five districts to work in with hers among the beneficiaries.
“In order to improve education, Woord en Daad is willing to choose over 100 teachers per district to be taken back to university. We are grateful that the teachers they are picking are the vulnerable ones,” said Achen.
She added, “We are a hard-to-reach district and we are welcoming them. We encourage them not to stop underway but help the teachers.”