Given the alarming rate of unemployed graduates in Uganda, Makerere University has come up with a curriculum which could soon solve this rampant issue mainly arising from lack of skills and innovativeness.
The curriculum known as ‘Employability and Entrepreneurship Skills Development Program’ was developed by Makerere University School of Distance and Lifelong Learning (SoDLL) in partnership with Metropolitan University in the UK. The project is also part of the Education Partnerships in Africa Project (EPA), also known as the GBP4500 Project-funding by the British Council aimed at building the capacity of African Institutions of Higher Education in entrepreneurship skills, in collaboration with local employers.
Makerere University believes that a higher education reform to an Outcomes Based Education (OBE) curriculum system would place special emphasis on learning outcomes and skills development to best meet student’s needs for employment, thus the development of the lucrative solution oriented curriculum. Therefore Makerere University students could be among the first graduates to earn a degree under this outcome based curriculum.
According to Dr. George L. Openjuru, Dean, School of Distance and Lifelong Learning (SoDLL), the rampant unemployment is often caused by the simple knowledge transfer where the student is fed on theory, minus emphasis on skills development. He further explained that “The current Higher Education reform based on simple knowledge transfer and limited skills development in Uganda can further be improved with employability and entrepreneurship skills training”
The program has been progressively active and currently, pilot trainings for out of school leavers have been conducted in three regional centers of Makerere University including Arua, Entebbe and Fort Portal. The project has also been extended to assist Makerere develop a modern OBE based curriculum as a foundation for becoming a student centered institution in the region. The project also plans to liaise with all stakeholders to embed this reform as a national curriculum model for Uganda’s Higher Education, something which could bring about rapid increase in employment if other universities actively take part in the project.
In its final stages, the project shall enable selected staff of Makerere receive training in OBE focused curriculum and program design, form a team to design a Post Graduate Certificate in Higher Education (PGCHE), and train other members of the Academic staff in the use of OBE oriented methods to deliver programmes at the university so as to ensure.
Article by Toko Paul, Intern, Public Relations Office, Makerere University
Given the alarming rate of unemployed graduates in Uganda, Makerere University has come up with a curriculum which could soon solve this rampant issue mainly arising from lack of skills and innovativeness.
The curriculum known as ‘Employability and Entrepreneurship Skills Development Program’ was developed by Makerere University School of Distance and Lifelong Learning (SoDLL) in partnership with Metropolitan University in the UK. The project is also part of the Education Partnerships in Africa Project (EPA), also known as the GBP4500 Project-funding by the British Council aimed at building the capacity of African Institutions of Higher Education in entrepreneurship skills, in collaboration with local employers.
Makerere University believes that a higher education reform to an Outcomes Based Education (OBE) curriculum system would place special emphasis on learning outcomes and skills development to best meet student’s needs for employment, thus the development of the lucrative solution oriented curriculum. Therefore Makerere University students could be among the first graduates to earn a degree under this outcome based curriculum.
According to Dr. George L. Openjuru, Dean, School of Distance and Lifelong Learning (SoDLL), the rampant unemployment is often caused by the simple knowledge transfer where the student is fed on theory, minus emphasis on skills development. He further explained that “The current Higher Education reform based on simple knowledge transfer and limited skills development in Uganda can further be improved with employability and entrepreneurship skills training”
The program has been progressively active and currently, pilot trainings for out of school leavers have been conducted in three regional centers of Makerere University including Arua, Entebbe and Fort Portal. The project has also been extended to assist Makerere develop a modern OBE based curriculum as a foundation for becoming a student centered institution in the region. The project also plans to liaise with all stakeholders to embed this reform as a national curriculum model for Uganda’s Higher Education, something which could bring about rapid increase in employment if other universities actively take part in the project.
In its final stages, the project shall enable selected staff of Makerere receive training in OBE focused curriculum and program design, form a team to design a Post Graduate Certificate in Higher Education (PGCHE), and train other members of the Academic staff in the use of OBE oriented methods to deliver programmes at the university so as to ensure.
Article by Toko Paul, Intern, Public Relations Office, Makerere University