The government, especially His Excellency, has endeavoured to prioritize technical education over the age-old theoretical curriculum. When Kira Power Station was damaged by the floating island, Y.K. Museveni stated that, ‘we didn’t call people to read Shakespeare’. It was his allusion to the uselessness of the arts oriented education programs to the needs of Uganda. It is public knowledge that the President favours a curriculum that emphasizes science programs.
Understandably, Uganda needs a system that produces practical students. However, it doesn’t explicitly need a technical curriculum to achieve overall progress. In fact, a largely technical curriculum would spell regression for the nation; as I shall endeavour to illustrate. First however, let’s consider the pros of a technical system for our nation.
An entrepreneurial economy, as the one that Uganda has, is very supportive of innovative minds; requiring a system the products of which have the skills to start and sustain small and medium enterprises (SME). The availability of jobs for university graduates is substantially less than it was earlier this century. Then, a diploma was sufficient for top tier employment; and a degree was the gate way into the Ivy League corporate employment.
The government ensured sustainable peace which in turn increased student enrolment in institutions of higher learning. Higher national literacy levels were also materialized by the Universal Primary Education government initiative. These numerous degree holders meant a higher demand for jobs that were not increasing in similar measure.
Unfortunately, the employment sector was much slower in growth. There was so much damage to overcome by the government; the first being an assurance of political stability. Investment was slow to return into the country owing to the long decades of state abuse of power, political instability and civil unrest.
The number of unemployed Ugandan graduates spiked, causing the diplomas and degrees to lose their sanctity as they became incredibly common. The long lasting peace enabled the commercialization of education with private individuals starting and running schools. It is undisputed that the increase in private institutions hiked the competition in enrolment of students. The best indicator of a good school was, and still is, a good performance in the Uganda National Examinations Bureau (UNEB) examinations.
Consequently, malpractices became prominent in the academic sector owing to the need for improved performances at the national level examinations. This meant that as the number of graduates increased, their productive quality declined.
Over time, employers in the formal sector, the same being the target recipient of formal-educated students, started requiring the unattainable from graduates. A couple of years’ experience, in addition to the university degree, became a prerequisite for entry into the formal sector. This led to many youths being unemployed and therefore seeking alternative means to foot the bills of life.
Enter the growth of Uganda’s entrepreneurial nature. Damning facts showed that entrepreneurship supports activities which require skills that are largely unattainable in the UNEB curriculum; not so much because of substance but method. That curriculum is far too theoretical to support innovation; this requiring a particular set of skills that enable creativity and invention. Ours is a system whose main objective serves more to test memory than ingenuity!
Undeniably, the country must have an education system that equips the youths with workable skills. This direction resulted in the rise of technical schools whose focus is practical courses like nursing, plumbing, welding, and mechanical and electrical engineering. Although one that graduates from such a school only has a certificate, he or she is a step ahead of one that acquires a degree.
For starters, students that enrol in these technical institutes have the skills necessary to make a living at an earlier age than their formal-educated counterparts. Further, one that enrols in a higher secondary school institution still has to build to that with a university degree. The average duration of degree courses is three years; even longer for some prestigious professional courses.
As elaborated above, the degree in today’s employment market is insufficient; employers’ demands require one to push further for a Master’s degree and a smudge of work experience. This achievement translates into more time spent in school whilst balancing work, and a very demanding social life at that stage. The technical student, if equally equipped with wits for good measure, will have surpassed the college fella in economic and social aspects of human development.
However, there is a shortcoming to the technical education system. Whereas it sets stage for a financially healthy population, it deprives students of the ability to comprehend political philosophy and social psychology. Perhaps many of our elders don’t see the value of knowing Shakespeare, French history, the World Wars and the African civil and political struggles! Yet, there is so much that the mind is trained to perceive through familiarization with those historical events. Briefly, Shakespeare’s plays mirrored society; thereby undressing social psychology. Similarly, African plays like The Lion and The Jewel managed to dramatize the effect of not only the colonial administration, but also the mere presence of foreigners on African societies; such dramas ease the understanding of monumental events in African history. Essentially, the Arts equip a student with a mind that is capable of comprehensive analysis; the ability to uncover truths that seem non-existent through simple observation.
The government’s insistence on the prioritization of technical institutions carries consequences that are unknown to those that can’t seem to see beyond their generation. It was said that the most dangerous kind of ignorance is political ignorance.
Without knowledge of the country’s political sphere, a democratic government can change into an aristocracy without public query. Unfortunately, the few who would appraise the citizenry of political atrocities labour in vain because of the prevalence of uncomprehending minds. Although the country is granted economic freedom; its citizens are robbed of political freedom.
China, for example, is a global economic giant whose citizens are at the centre of state of the art technological innovations and advancement. The same live happily and freely, provided they steer clear of political topics. Earlier this year, delegates of China’s National People’s Congress voted for a controversial security law that was shamed by our Public Order Management Act (POMA) in terms of diplomatic and democratic governance. The Chinese law instigates anti-sedition policies the implementation of which legitimizes arrests for criticizing the Chinese government; a freedom the absence of which borders on oppression. Precisely, the Chinese political system translates into the death of democracy and free speech; among other freedoms enshrined in chapter four of our Constitution.
That is the direction that Uganda would be taking if it seeks a majority of technical graduates over students enrolled in an Arts curriculum. In fact, it is the political ignorance of the majority Ugandans that has resulted in the seemingly aristocratic system today. When POMA was passed, the police was granted legal leeway to suppress people’s freedom of association. Also, whereas the Act requires collaboration from the police, this force takes it as an authority to permit public gatherings. If read properly, especially with regard to chapter four of the Constitution, the Act gives the police no such authority.
In his judgment, then Chief Justice Bart Katureebe noted that article 102(b) was not fundamental to the sustenance of democracy in Uganda. However, he hinted at the fact that removal of the term limits would have hindered the democratic nature of the Constitution. Nonetheless, pertaining to the judicial rules of procedure, the court could not address an issue that wasn’t presented to it. Unfortunately, the removal of the term limits was not contended back in 2005; had it been, we’d still have that provision in the supreme law of the land.
Having a population the majority of which are politically ignorant results in a government that continually entrenches itself because the citizens are incapable of contemplating the injustices being done to their constitutional integrity.
As such, instead of the president satirically ridiculing the Arts, he should be seeking a balance between the technical, science oriented and arts oriented aspects of the education system. Except, he would prefer a technical country to a philosophically literate equivalent. He, better than anyone else, appreciates the value of philosophy with regard to its contribution to the liberal vis a vis conservative development of the law.
My submission does not call for the prioritization of the Arts over the science or technical curriculum. I think that the interests of future Ugandan generations are best protected with a balance of all three, maybe more, as opposed to placing one above the others.
This country needs economists, doctors (both medical and philosophical), lawyers and judges, parliamentarians (with education to fit that role), technical workers, event planners, entertainers and other seemingly unimportant social-economic roles. It needs a proper development of all these aspects of society for the avoidance of essential deficits.
However, Uganda needs a citizenry that understands political philosophy; lest the democratic unitary political order crumbles into an unrecognizable aristocracy. Besides, we cannot be sure that the next aristocrat will not regress into a despot. Then, the unfortunate history will repeat itself!ZRich Ignorant Fools: Prioritizing a technical curriculum over the Arts translates into a wealthy politically ignorant nation, a de facto one party government for life
The government, especially His Excellency, has endeavoured to prioritize technical education over the age-old theoretical curriculum. When Kira Power Station was damaged by the floating island, Y.K. Museveni stated that, ‘we didn’t call people to read Shakespeare’. It was his allusion to the uselessness of the arts oriented education programs to the needs of Uganda. It is public knowledge that the President favours a curriculum that emphasizes science programs.
Understandably, Uganda needs a system that produces practical students. However, it doesn’t explicitly need a technical curriculum to achieve overall progress. In fact, a largely technical curriculum would spell regression for the nation; as I shall endeavour to illustrate. First however, let’s consider the pros of a technical system for our nation.
An entrepreneurial economy, as the one that Uganda has, is very supportive of innovative minds; requiring a system the products of which have the skills to start and sustain small and medium enterprises (SME). The availability of jobs for university graduates is substantially less than it was earlier this century. Then, a diploma was sufficient for top tier employment; and a degree was the gate way into the Ivy League corporate employment.
The government ensured sustainable peace which in turn increased student enrolment in institutions of higher learning. Higher national literacy levels were also materialized by the Universal Primary Education government initiative. These numerous degree holders meant a higher demand for jobs that were not increasing in similar measure.
Unfortunately, the employment sector was much slower in growth. There was so much damage to overcome by the government; the first being an assurance of political stability. Investment was slow to return into the country owing to the long decades of state abuse of power, political instability and civil unrest.
The number of unemployed Ugandan graduates spiked, causing the diplomas and degrees to lose their sanctity as they became incredibly common. The long lasting peace enabled the commercialization of education with private individuals starting and running schools. It is undisputed that the increase in private institutions hiked the competition in enrolment of students. The best indicator of a good school was, and still is, a good performance in the Uganda National Examinations Bureau (UNEB) examinations.
Consequently, malpractices became prominent in the academic sector owing to the need for improved performances at the national level examinations. This meant that as the number of graduates increased, their productive quality declined.
Over time, employers in the formal sector, the same being the target recipient of formal-educated students, started requiring the unattainable from graduates. A couple of years’ experience, in addition to the university degree, became a prerequisite for entry into the formal sector. This led to many youths being unemployed and therefore seeking alternative means to foot the bills of life.
Enter the growth of Uganda’s entrepreneurial nature. Damning facts showed that entrepreneurship supports activities which require skills that are largely unattainable in the UNEB curriculum; not so much because of substance but method. That curriculum is far too theoretical to support innovation; this requiring a particular set of skills that enable creativity and invention. Ours is a system whose main objective serves more to test memory than ingenuity!
Undeniably, the country must have an education system that equips the youths with workable skills. This direction resulted in the rise of technical schools whose focus is practical courses like nursing, plumbing, welding, and mechanical and electrical engineering. Although one that graduates from such a school only has a certificate, he or she is a step ahead of one that acquires a degree.
For starters, students that enrol in these technical institutes have the skills necessary to make a living at an earlier age than their formal-educated counterparts. Further, one that enrols in a higher secondary school institution still has to build to that with a university degree. The average duration of degree courses is three years; even longer for some prestigious professional courses.
As elaborated above, the degree in today’s employment market is insufficient; employers’ demands require one to push further for a Master’s degree and a smudge of work experience. This achievement translates into more time spent in school whilst balancing work, and a very demanding social life at that stage. The technical student, if equally equipped with wits for good measure, will have surpassed the college fella in economic and social aspects of human development.
However, there is a shortcoming to the technical education system. Whereas it sets stage for a financially healthy population, it deprives students of the ability to comprehend political philosophy and social psychology. Perhaps many of our elders don’t see the value of knowing Shakespeare, French history, the World Wars and the African civil and political struggles! Yet, there is so much that the mind is trained to perceive through familiarization with those historical events. Briefly, Shakespeare’s plays mirrored society; thereby undressing social psychology. Similarly, African plays like The Lion and The Jewel managed to dramatize the effect of not only the colonial administration, but also the mere presence of foreigners on African societies; such dramas ease the understanding of monumental events in African history. Essentially, the Arts equip a student with a mind that is capable of comprehensive analysis; the ability to uncover truths that seem non-existent through simple observation.
The government’s insistence on the prioritization of technical institutions carries consequences that are unknown to those that can’t seem to see beyond their generation. It was said that the most dangerous kind of ignorance is political ignorance.
Without knowledge of the country’s political sphere, a democratic government can change into an aristocracy without public query. Unfortunately, the few who would appraise the citizenry of political atrocities labour in vain because of the prevalence of uncomprehending minds. Although the country is granted economic freedom; its citizens are robbed of political freedom.
China, for example, is a global economic giant whose citizens are at the centre of state of the art technological innovations and advancement. The same live happily and freely, provided they steer clear of political topics. Earlier this year, delegates of China’s National People’s Congress voted for a controversial security law that was shamed by our Public Order Management Act (POMA) in terms of diplomatic and democratic governance. The Chinese law instigates anti-sedition policies the implementation of which legitimizes arrests for criticizing the Chinese government; a freedom the absence of which borders on oppression. Precisely, the Chinese political system translates into the death of democracy and free speech; among other freedoms enshrined in chapter four of our Constitution.
That is the direction that Uganda would be taking if it seeks a majority of technical graduates over students enrolled in an Arts curriculum. In fact, it is the political ignorance of the majority Ugandans that has resulted in the seemingly aristocratic system today. When POMA was passed, the police was granted legal leeway to suppress people’s freedom of association. Also, whereas the Act requires collaboration from the police, this force takes it as an authority to permit public gatherings. If read properly, especially with regard to chapter four of the Constitution, the Act gives the police no such authority.
In his judgment, then Chief Justice Bart Katureebe noted that article 102(b) was not fundamental to the sustenance of democracy in Uganda. However, he hinted at the fact that removal of the term limits would have hindered the democratic nature of the Constitution. Nonetheless, pertaining to the judicial rules of procedure, the court could not address an issue that wasn’t presented to it. Unfortunately, the removal of the term limits was not contended back in 2005; had it been, we’d still have that provision in the supreme law of the land.
Having a population the majority of which are politically ignorant results in a government that continually entrenches itself because the citizens are incapable of contemplating the injustices being done to their constitutional integrity.
As such, instead of the president satirically ridiculing the Arts, he should be seeking a balance between the technical, science oriented and arts oriented aspects of the education system. Except, he would prefer a technical country to a philosophically literate equivalent. He, better than anyone else, appreciates the value of philosophy with regard to its contribution to the liberal vis a vis conservative development of the law.
My submission does not call for the prioritization of the Arts over the science or technical curriculum. I think that the interests of future Ugandan generations are best protected with a balance of all three, maybe more, as opposed to placing one above the others.
This country needs economists, doctors (both medical and philosophical), lawyers and judges, parliamentarians (with education to fit that role), technical workers, event planners, entertainers and other seemingly unimportant social-economic roles. It needs a proper development of all these aspects of society for the avoidance of essential deficits.
However, Uganda needs a citizenry that understands political philosophy; lest the democratic unitary political order crumbles into an unrecognizable aristocracy. Besides, we cannot be sure that the next aristocrat will not regress into a despot. Then, the unfortunate history will repeat itself!
Author Profile
- Joel Kenneth Ndawula is a Christian, and a Lawyer currently undertaking his LL.M at Uganda Christian University. As an avid reader and writer, he offers incisive legal commentary on current affairs. He can also be reached via email: [email protected]
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