JINJA | SOCIAL | EDUCATION | CHALLENGES

The kyabazinga William Gabula Nadiope has called for concerted efforts by stakeholders to tackle school dropouts, teenage pregnancies, and early marriages, vices he said hamper education and social progress.

Citing Busoga as one of the regions affected by high rates of teenage pregnancies and early marriages, the king said something ought to be done since mothers play a significant role in uplifting their respective families and communities.

“As an institution, we have zeroed in on a campaign to promote and keep girl children in school, but we need support from you (government),” he said.

He made the remarks on Wednesday while addressing members of the Education Policy Review Commission (EPRC) at his Igenge palace in Jinja city.

The kyabazinga also flagged off a consultation exercise in the kingdom during which the EPRC, led by its chairman, Amanya Mushega, will seek the views of stakeholders on what is needed to improve the education policy.

Nadiope said the intervention had come at the right time as it would help offer solutions to problems affecting especially the youth, who he said constitute up to 70% of the kingdom’s populace.

“I have a lot of interest in education because it is a tool through which we can empower young people,” he said before thanking the government for reviving Busoga University, which had been closed by the National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) over management issues.

Nadiope enumerated other issues that need attention as the government seeks to improve the education sector, such as the improvement of library services in schools and communities to enhance research, the establishment of sports facilities to tap talents, and the refurbishment of traditional schools.

In Busoga, he noted that schools such as Busoga College Mwiri, Wanyange Girls, and Kiira College Butiki, which used to compete nationally, have declined due to dilapidated and inadequate infrastructure.

“These institutions need to be revamped." In addition to academics, they played a role in promoting our culture, but due to their current state, they cannot effectively do this, hence the rampant moral decay,” he said.

The king also stressed the need for the provision of teachers with accommodation facilities at their places of work, arguing that their effectiveness is greatly affected by the long distances they trek daily to and from work.

He observed that in some cases, teachers walk up to 10 to 15 kilometers to school while others fail to report for duty on rainy days.

He called for the inclusion of Lusoga in the education curriculum in an attempt to preserve the language and the Kisoga culture, as well as regulating tuition fees in educational institutions as high charges force some children to drop out.

The commission later held consultations with educationists, clan leaders, and opinion leaders at the palace.

David Kigenyi Naluwairo, a former town clerk of Jinja, said emphasis should be put on improving the welfare of learners through programs like feeding pupils and motivating teachers.

“If we want better results, children must be fed while at school to boost their concentration in class." "For teachers, other than salary increments, they need good accommodation and teaching facilities, among others,” he said.

Background

The EPRC was launched in May 2021 by the Minister of Education, who is also the First Lady, Mrs. Janet Museveni, with the major task of drafting a new macro policy framework for education and sports.

Once finalized, the new policy will replace the current government white paper on education (1992) that was spearheaded by Prof. Ssenteza Kajubi.

“Thirty years later, many things have changed in the education sector, the wider society of Uganda, and globally." "This necessitates the review of the 1992 Education Policy to respond to emerging educational needs, and trends and to stimulate innovation in the sector,” Mushega said.

The commission has twelve members, including Dr. Joseph Muvawala, the Executive Director of the National Planning Authority, who is the deputy chairperson.

It will collect views from stakeholders through public hearings and individual interactions from all regions of the country before submitting its report.

According to Agnes Asulo, the EPRC communications specialist, about 120 submissions have so far been made to the commission by researchers, educational institutions, and cultural leaders, among others.

She added that in August this year, the commission met with President Yoweri Museveni, who gave his ideas.

She said. "We would like to find out the implementation gaps in the existing 30-year-old policy and how they can be closed to come up with a better, more robust education policy."