UNATCOM unveils sh94b plan to improve education

EDUCATION

The Uganda National Commission for UNESCO (UNATCOM) has unveiled a seven year strategic plan 2018 - 2025 aimed at attaining fundamental human rights and sustainable development through the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO's) fields of competence.

UNESCO's core competence includes education, science, culture and communication.

The plan worth sh94.7b  was this week Tuesday launched by the State Minister for Higher Education, John Muyingo who represented the First Lady Janet Kataha Museveni, at a function held at Silver Springs Hotel in Kampala.

In her speech read by Muyingo, Museveni said that investment in education is the most important intervention any government can make as the investment in young people's education is an investment in the future.

State minister for higher education Dr. John Chrysostom Muyingo(left) with Odong Ochieng(right) from the ministry of Education and other delegation members, after the launch of Uganda National Commission for UNESCO(UNATCOM seven year strategic plan 2018-2025. (Photo by Sylvia Katushabe.)

The first lady pledged to continue dialoguing with fellow cabinet members to approve the operationalisation of the UNATCOM Act 2014 to enable full implementation of the strategic plan.

"I call upon all our other development partners and stakeholders, particularly those engaged in UNESCO's fields of competence to support UNATCOM and government of Uganda in the implementation of this plan," Museveni said.

According to the strategic plan sh9.4b (10%) has been dedicated to education which is key to sustainable development.

Other aspects are culture with sh5.6b (6%), whereas natural sciences and social and human sciences will each take sh4.7b (5%). Communication and information will take sh3.7b (4%).

However sh66b (70%) of the funds will be dedicated to the commission's programme executions administration and support.

"Attention to education is not just provision of education but provision of quality and inclusive education as a right. The claim and attainment of the right to education in turn triggers the claim of other rights as well," said UNATCOM secretary general, Rosie Agoi.

She explained that the new plan also seeks to address advancing science and technology while taking into account ethical, cultural and economic rights, promoting justice and peace as well as respect for human rights and the right to access to information and freedom of expression.

Much of the funding for the plan will come from UNESCO and UN family totaling to sh38b while government of Uganda will provide sh7.7b.

This will leave a funding gap of sh48.3b,  which Agoi said will be filled through writing grant proposals, partnerships among others.

Prof Eribu Lugujja, the UNATCOM board chairperson challenged fellow board members and staff of UNATCOM to ensure the plan is implemented.

"This document is a rope around our necks because we have to deliver. It is not a mere book we need to work hard towards its implementation," Lugujja said.

He called on government operationalise the UNATCOM Act and also enable the commission become autonomous.

"We want to be autonomous so that we can work more efficiently. Other UNATCOMs in the region are autonomous and are performing very well," Lugujja said.

The first UNATCOM 10 year Strategic Plan (2007-2016) came to a conclusion in 2016, UNATCOM has now developed a Seven Year  Strategic Plan (2018-2025) aligned to the second National Development Plan (NDPII).

The plan went through the approval processes of the Ministry of Education and Sports Planning Department and the National Planning Authority. 

The Strategic Plan is a road map that UNATCOM will follow in its contribution to the country's development through UNESCO's fields of competence and it provides for interventions, annual reviews as well as evaluation of performance. 

UNESCO is a specialised agency of the UN which aims at contributing to peace and security by promoting international collaboration through education, science, culture, and justice, rule of law, human rights and freedoms. Uganda is a member state of UNESCO.