Kategaya’s argument is wanting
Oct 28, 2009
EDITOR—On October 19, The New Vision published a story in which it was reported that the First Deputy Prime Minister Eriya Kategaya said some universities in Uganda offer irrelevant courses. I find his argument wanting.
EDITOR—On October 19, The New Vision published a story in which it was reported that the First Deputy Prime Minister Eriya Kategaya said some universities in Uganda offer irrelevant courses. I find his argument wanting. Universities are key players in fighting unemployment through producing innovative intellectuals but because of poor facilitation in the case of public universities, the results are below public expectation.
This, for example, is evident in the faculty of Science at Makerere University. Besides all the five public universities, private universities provide less than 1% employment opportunities for the Ugandan economy. The public and private sectors as a whole are key players in employing Ugandans and are overseen by the central government.
Surprisingly, in the Ministry of Education, there is a full council for institutions of higher learning called the National Council for Higher Education. This council should monitor and evaluate the process of curriculum development for every university. What is it doing to protect the poor peasants?
Some of the courses Kategaya calls ‘non-marketable’ are surprisingly on the list of courses available for Government sponsorship!
Is that deliberate or an oversight? It is said that all courses included there are those the Government thinks are key areas for national development.
Kategaya should clarify what exactly he meant. A stove cannot be blamed for burning the food because it is operated by a cook. The blame on ‘non-marketable’ courses and unemployment in Uganda cannot therefore be put on the universities but on the Government.
Nelson Muwereza Makerere university
This, for example, is evident in the faculty of Science at Makerere University. Besides all the five public universities, private universities provide less than 1% employment opportunities for the Ugandan economy. The public and private sectors as a whole are key players in employing Ugandans and are overseen by the central government.
Surprisingly, in the Ministry of Education, there is a full council for institutions of higher learning called the National Council for Higher Education. This council should monitor and evaluate the process of curriculum development for every university. What is it doing to protect the poor peasants?
Some of the courses Kategaya calls ‘non-marketable’ are surprisingly on the list of courses available for Government sponsorship!
Is that deliberate or an oversight? It is said that all courses included there are those the Government thinks are key areas for national development.
Kategaya should clarify what exactly he meant. A stove cannot be blamed for burning the food because it is operated by a cook. The blame on ‘non-marketable’ courses and unemployment in Uganda cannot therefore be put on the universities but on the Government.
Nelson Muwereza Makerere university