Ugandans must change ideology - retired judge Tabaro

(From left) Rtd Justice John Patrick Tabaro launching Beyond the Fourth Heritage book as the Author Emmanuel Kirunda (right) and others looks on. This was at Makerere University on December 20, 2017. Photo by Ramadhan Abbey

Retired judge, Patrick Tabaro, has criticised the current education syllabus saying that there is a need to overhaul the system in favour of original and critical thinking.

Tabaro, who was yesterday speaking at the launch of a book titled: Beyond the Fourth Heritage at Makerere University, said that instead of taking head on the challenges that have kept Africa and Uganda backward, many Ugandans pre-occupied with self-pity and are trapped in the colonial mentality of reproducing what they are being taught in schools.

To avert the trend, Tabaro is calling for change of ideology and what is taught in schools.

"If we change our mindset and ideology, we can be good as Europeans, Chinese, Indians and Arabs because we have the genes of these people are the same that Africans have. All we need is critical thinking," he said.

Speaking at the launch of his book, Emmanuel Kirunda, said to achieve mindset change, there is a need to break the chains of religion, tribe and colonialism so that people can take charge of their future by working together without hiding under religious and tribal ties.

"We can't undo the past, but what we can do, is to change the future," he said.

According to Fagil Mandy, an education consultant, for Africa and Uganda to achieve the much-needed mind set, tough decisions must be taken in as far as redefining Africa and the need to set the pace for the generation of new ideas.

"Re-train he teachers to focus on uplifting Africa," he said, accusing education stakeholders in the country of being disconnected from what needs to be done.

Government is in the final stages of developing a new secondary school curriculum, 100 years, since it was crafted by Europeans.