Children trained in cultural skills

By Andrew Masinde                                 

Children have been trained in traditional skills as a way of mentoring them in cultural knowledge that is slowly fading, yet it is important in our society's development.

The training that took place at the Uganda Museum in Kampala yesterday attracted pupils in pre-primary, primary and secondary levels from various schools across the country.

Among the activities trained were molding, making clay products such as pots, clay source pans, cups and many others.

They were also taught how to weave mats using palm leaves and banana fibres, and making baskets.



The children were also skilled in rock painting; making bark cloth and making products using threads, among others.

Habiiba Malinga, a trainer from children resource centre at the Uganda museum said the training was aimed at instilling skills in young children because they are fading out and there is need to revive them.

"I wish these skills are introduced in all schools such that children grow up knowing how to appreciate the value of our traditional art and cultures. Lest we are going to lose them as we are taken away by the western civilisation," she explains.

The commissioner, Museums and monuments, Mwanja Nkaale Rose said that our traditional cultures and values are fading out drastically and it is only parents that can revive them.

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"Parents should begin training children in these values right from the tender age; this could solve the issue of unemployment in the country. Imagine if children grow up knowing how to make crafts, then they should be able to survive even after school," she explained.

She added that the ministry of education should also introduce skills related subjects on the syllabuses such that children learn these skills even at school.

Excited pupils promised to put whatever they have studied into practice because they discovered they can produced crafts using their hands and from locally available materials.