Vision offers career guidance services
Aug 10, 2011
FUN, group discussions and one-on-one talk coupled with practical activities characterised a career guidance session conducted by Vision Group at KiBO Foundation in Kansanga, a Kampala suburb, last week.
By Vision reporters
FUN, group discussions and one-on-one talk coupled with practical activities characterised a career guidance session conducted by Vision Group at KiBO Foundation in Kansanga, a Kampala suburb, last week.
This was part of Vision Group’s corporate social responsibility aimed at giving back to the community and getting involved in matters that advance the society.
The career talk is part of an intervention in response to the need for career guidance in the country. Lack of career guidance has been cited as one of the major challenges that beset Uganda’s education system.
The problem has been attributed to curriculum overload and the high teacher–student ratio that leaves teachers with no room to guide students. The teacher-student ratio is on average 1:54, according to Ministry of Education statistics. The Ugandan education system has also been criticised for being examination-based with little room for job creation skills.
With a population of about 33 million people and close to 30 universities, Uganda has become extremely competitive in both education placement and the job market.
In the face of cut-throat competition for government sponsorship in higher institutions of learning, many students end up making wrong career choices. The incentive of state sponsorship has also pushed students to courses for which they have neither ability nor interest.
Vision Group has partnered with KiBO Foundation to impart skills among youths. At least 75 KIBO Foundation students attended the recent session conducted by the Newspapers in Education manager, Jamesa Wagwau.
Making a presentation on the theme; ‘Opening doors of opportunity’, Jamesa challenged the youth to build professional supportive network that would propel their career to the next level. This was the second session in the career support series provided by Vision Group to KiBO Foundation.
The career sessions that are scheduled to run throughout the year also reflect the value Vision Group attaches to education. Every week, New Vision runs a special supplement, Mwalimu that addresses education issues affecting stakeholders like children, parents, teachers and policy makers.
“We exist and engage in activities for more than financial gain, the society has to benefit. As a company, we strive to improve the country’s economic development and the quality of life,†says Vision Group’s legal officer, Doreen Awanga.
Earlier, Vision Group was also co-sponsored 21 youth to a two-month training in ICT and leadership skills from the KiBO Foundation recently.
The Mulago-based Infectious Diseases Institute (IDI) was the other sponsor, and it contributed sh400,000 for each of the 21 youth to train at the KiBO Foundation. Barbara Kemigisa, an HIV positive young mother, was among the beneficiaries who also acquired team work skills.
“I would like to use the skills I have acquired from KiBO to serve the community by fighting stigma against HIV so as to ensure an HIV-free future generation,†says Kemigisa.
The trainees chose to help HIV patients at Kiswa Health Centre III, which receives an average of between 170 to 200 HIV patients everyday. The health centre handles an average of 270 outpatients, says Sister Molly Businge, the in-charge.
Businge is grateful that IDI has made it possible for the centre to acquire testing kits and a CD4-count machine that helps in determining the type of treatment to give HIV patients.
The youth raised sh1.3m through activities like car washing to support the HIV patients at the centre.
KIBO Foundation’s training coordinator Patricia Otoa says the Vision–KIBO partnership will give students the self-reliance skills they need for the competitive job market.
Started in March 2006, the Canadian charity organisation has so far seen about 2,000 young people trained and over 35,000 others benefiting in community projects under different sponsors.
FUN, group discussions and one-on-one talk coupled with practical activities characterised a career guidance session conducted by Vision Group at KiBO Foundation in Kansanga, a Kampala suburb, last week.
This was part of Vision Group’s corporate social responsibility aimed at giving back to the community and getting involved in matters that advance the society.
The career talk is part of an intervention in response to the need for career guidance in the country. Lack of career guidance has been cited as one of the major challenges that beset Uganda’s education system.
The problem has been attributed to curriculum overload and the high teacher–student ratio that leaves teachers with no room to guide students. The teacher-student ratio is on average 1:54, according to Ministry of Education statistics. The Ugandan education system has also been criticised for being examination-based with little room for job creation skills.
With a population of about 33 million people and close to 30 universities, Uganda has become extremely competitive in both education placement and the job market.
In the face of cut-throat competition for government sponsorship in higher institutions of learning, many students end up making wrong career choices. The incentive of state sponsorship has also pushed students to courses for which they have neither ability nor interest.
Vision Group has partnered with KiBO Foundation to impart skills among youths. At least 75 KIBO Foundation students attended the recent session conducted by the Newspapers in Education manager, Jamesa Wagwau.
Making a presentation on the theme; ‘Opening doors of opportunity’, Jamesa challenged the youth to build professional supportive network that would propel their career to the next level. This was the second session in the career support series provided by Vision Group to KiBO Foundation.
The career sessions that are scheduled to run throughout the year also reflect the value Vision Group attaches to education. Every week, New Vision runs a special supplement, Mwalimu that addresses education issues affecting stakeholders like children, parents, teachers and policy makers.
“We exist and engage in activities for more than financial gain, the society has to benefit. As a company, we strive to improve the country’s economic development and the quality of life,†says Vision Group’s legal officer, Doreen Awanga.
Earlier, Vision Group was also co-sponsored 21 youth to a two-month training in ICT and leadership skills from the KiBO Foundation recently.
The Mulago-based Infectious Diseases Institute (IDI) was the other sponsor, and it contributed sh400,000 for each of the 21 youth to train at the KiBO Foundation. Barbara Kemigisa, an HIV positive young mother, was among the beneficiaries who also acquired team work skills.
“I would like to use the skills I have acquired from KiBO to serve the community by fighting stigma against HIV so as to ensure an HIV-free future generation,†says Kemigisa.
The trainees chose to help HIV patients at Kiswa Health Centre III, which receives an average of between 170 to 200 HIV patients everyday. The health centre handles an average of 270 outpatients, says Sister Molly Businge, the in-charge.
Businge is grateful that IDI has made it possible for the centre to acquire testing kits and a CD4-count machine that helps in determining the type of treatment to give HIV patients.
The youth raised sh1.3m through activities like car washing to support the HIV patients at the centre.
KIBO Foundation’s training coordinator Patricia Otoa says the Vision–KIBO partnership will give students the self-reliance skills they need for the competitive job market.
Started in March 2006, the Canadian charity organisation has so far seen about 2,000 young people trained and over 35,000 others benefiting in community projects under different sponsors.