General
Mind Education, an Enabler of National Development
In 1962, the GDP per capita of South Korea was US$90. Matters weren’t helped by the fact that country had poor soils, no mineral resources to exploit and hostile neighbours. During the winter when the temperatures dropped to -5 degrees centigrade, it was not uncommon for the less fortunate to either starve or freeze to death.
This vicious cycle of poverty continued until the 1960s when President Park worked hard to introduce Mind Education to help change the mindset of the South Korean population. Mind Education programmes were introduced in school curricula and as the mindsets of people changed, the country evolved. Today, South Korea is ranked highly among developed countries with a GDP per capita above US$30,000.
This picture of South Korea’s remarkable transition was painted by Prof. Johan Kim, Chairman of the International Youth Fellowship (IYF) in East Africa. Prof. Kim made his presentation at the virtual Mind Education Workshop for staff of Makerere University hosted by the Vice Chancellor Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe on Friday 6th November 2020. The Workshop was organized by the Principal, College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHUSS), Assoc. Prof. Josephine Ahikire and the Dean, School of Psychology, Assoc. Prof. Grace Milly Kibanja in partnership with IYF.
Welcoming participants to the workshop, Dr. Kibanja shared that the School of Psychology had been collaborating with IYF since 2015. Together, the School and IYF have organised youth conferences both within and outside the university and reached out to prisons to conduct Mind Education.
“In 2019 we piloted the Mind Education Course among second year students of the Bachelor of Industrial and Organisational Psychaology and this is still ongoing. We are planning to conduct an evaluation of the programme soon” added Dr. Kibanja.
Explaining why the School had taken lead in this initiative, the Dean said that since Psychology is the scientific study of the mind and behaviour, as sure as night follows day, training in upright judgment and clear reasoning would inevitably lead to positive behavioural change. “Mind Education is geared towards strengthening our hearts and minds to overcome resistance to change by rising above our unpleasant desires.”
In her remarks, the Principal CHUSS observed that it is important to generate a network of people who will not just complain about problems but seek to create solutions and forge a way forward. “As Principal, I am happy about Mind Education because I think it will go a long way in creating a generation that will take the future in its hands and craft solutions accordingly.”
In this regard, she thanked the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Nawangwe for always being on the lookout for opportunities that can foster the delivery of Makerere University’s mandate. “The mindset change conversation is very important to us as an institution and we need to mainstream it in the programmes that we teach at Makerere.”
Dr. Ahikire pointed out that although people on the African continent face a number of challenges, the COVID-19 pandemic has illustrated that we have the capacity to come up with appropriate solutions. Strengthening this mindset, she noted, would enable us to train a resilient generation.
“I therefore thank the International Youth Fellowship for this very important collaboration with the School of Psychology and Makerere University in general. We welcome you and we embrace the Mind Education Programme as we build for the future.”
Prof. Johan Kim in his presentation noted that the mindset change in South Korea had spawned a generation of optimistic innovators and researchers who helped to turn their national economy around. This evolution meant that the hitherto disadvantaged country had gradually become a leading global exporter of goods whose raw materials they didn’t even produce.
“Today, South Korea is the seventh leading exporter of refined petroleum, a leading exporter of coffee and for a country that doesn’t have iron ore, home to the largest shipbuilding companies in the world” remarked Prof. Kim.
He concluded his presentation with the illustration of Koi’s law. Koi is a Japanese fish whose growth is proportional to the environment it is kept in. In a fish bowl, it grows to from 5 to 8cm, while in a pond it grows from 12 to 25cm. However, when the same fish is placed in a river it grows to a whooping 90 to 120cm. “The environment in which we keep our minds will determine where (how far) we go.”
Prof. Kim reassured that once the youth acquire a strong and positive mindset through Mind Education, the way they look at their country is bound to change. “Through Mind Education, we shall be able to move the mindset of our young people from the fishbowl to the pond to the river.”
As participants were still absorbing Prof. Kim’s fascinating presentation, it was time to be treated to yet another captivating performance, this time by the Gracias Choir, an orchestra and choral ensemble founded by Rev. Dr. Ock Soo Park in the year 2000. Their melodious and well-assembled performance of the Ugandan National anthem and Yansumulula Nze; a Luganda gospel song, amazed the participants.
Following this spectacular performance, the Keynote Speaker Rev. Dr. Ock Soo Park “took to the stage” to deliver his Special Lecture on Mindset with through his proficient translator. He began by stressing the importance of applying ones heart to scenes that play out daily, noting that people who’d mastered the art of taking care of and using their heart were a world apart.
Like a true Evangelist, Rev. Dr. Park delivered his special lecture in storytelling fashion, starting off with his own life as a nineteen year old and the difficulties he faced to the story of the beautiful, well-educated young lady who against all advice chose to marry a crippled uneducated young man.
He captivated his audience by painting a picture of the uphill task faced by the girl in breaking the news to her parents, to the suspicion she aroused from the young man’s family, which suspicion melted into pure bliss when they discovered how serious she was. Rev. Dr. Park had us all eating out of the palm of his hand as he narrated how this love story progressed into marriage, complete with all the facial expressions, appropriate sounds and hand gestures, leading us past blooming flowers up the mountain to the peak.
Suddenly, the beautiful tale veered off, taking a dark ghastly turn. Happily ever after gave way to ominous foreboding as the young man’s envy and rage overwhelmed his sense of reason. Mistaking his beautiful bride’s market errands for moments spent cavorting with other able-bodied men, he resorted to violent assault, shattering body and heart, a sad turn of events, a bitter end.
The Evangelist now had us where he wanted. It was time to deliver his blow, or so we thought. He then switched gears, shifting to a tale of South Korean car manufacturers and how the power of Mind Education had turned this sector’s fortunes around. Having depended on the Japanese to supply car engines for their brands for years, the South Koreans felt that they had gained sufficient experience to assemble their own and therefore asked their former supplier to teach them this skill. This request had been met with persistent “it’s too hard” responses year after year. When the South Koreans threatened to make their own engines, this announcement was received as the joke of the century by the Japanese.
Frustrated and insulted, the South Koreans had returned home, assembled their teams, shared their vision to build their own engines going forward and embarked on the herculean task. As fate would have it, they were pleasantly surprised to learn assembling car engines wasn’t as hard as the Japanese had made it seem. The rest as they say is history. Today South Korean car exports are worth billions of dollars.
“If you think more deeply, you get to think of things other people don’t. Leave behind your first level of thought and try to embrace deep thinking. If you go about life thinking deeply, you will live a blessed glorious life” concluded Rev. Dr. Park.
In the reactions that followed, a participant wondered why mindset change has been less experienced in Africa and whether the environment had any effect on this. In response, Prof. Kim noted that South Koreans too were in the past more concerned about basic living (eating and sleeping), and quitessentially focused more on how to become rich. “Many people in Africa are focusing on the materialistic or hardware more than the software part of our life. We need a lot of awareness through Mind Education especially for the youth so that they can think more in terms of development than daily needs.”
Another participant sought to find out whether frustration plays a role in mindset change. Prof. Kim responded by sharing that a weak heart and mindset are the primary reason why people are easily frustrated or stressed by anything. “This is because such a person is usually avoiding burdens or difficulties of life. When we continuously allow our mindset to collide with burdens and difficulties, our hearts become stronger. As such, we are able to easily overcome hardship when it comes our way.”
Delivering the closing remarks, the Host, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe shared that civilization started in Africa 5,000 years ago and for over 800 years, the Moors occupied Spain. Whereas these ancient civilizations had collapsed, the Vice Chancellor opined that it was still possible for Makerere University to be inspired by the South Korean success and as the top black University lead the mindset change campaign. “For the last few weeks, I have seen a lot coming out of Makerere University in the form of research and innovations from every college. This is commendable.”
Prof. Nawangwe observed that whereas our population is exploding, our resources are not and as such a quick solution is needed to address this. As a first step, the School of Psychology was working closely with IYF to explore how to incorporate Mind Education into the curriculum. The Vice Chancellor also shared that a second workshop was in the offing and staff would be informed about the dates accordingly.
He thanked Rev. Dr. Park for delivering the keynote, as well as Dr. Ahikire, Dr. Kibanja and the IYF representatives, Prof. Kim and Pastor Part for organizing the Workshop. He equally thanked all participants taking time off to attend the workshop. “We cannot continue leaving our fate to chance; we have this fate in our hands.”
Article by Public Relations Office.
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By Scholars Program Communication Team
On Saturday, November 16, 2024, Little Angels Junior School, Mawotto Village, Mukono District, and St. Charles Rwahunga, Nursery and Primary School in Kyegegwa District celebrated an inspiring, joy-filled event. These two schools were selected to receive the generosity of Mastercard Foundation Scholars at Makerere University during the Annual Scholars Day of Community Service.
At St. Charles Rwahunga Nursery and Primary School, the Scholars donated various products, including Learning Materials, Geometry sets, Sanitary towels for the girls, sportswear for the boys’ football team, and other goodies.
The Community Nursery and Primary School serves 412 pupils with severe challenges due to inadequate infrastructure. The buildings are dilapidated, there is a shortage of desks, and the classrooms are small and overcrowded. These issues need to be addressed to ensure a better student learning environment.
Mr. Alex Mugisha, the Headteacher of the School, expressed gratitude to the Scholars of Mastercard Foundation for the kind gesture they extended to his school.
“I am deeply grateful, along with the students and staff, for the generosity of the Mastercard Foundation Scholars. These materials will significantly enhance the learning environment for our pupils,” remarked Mr. Mugisha.
Mr. Nelson Ddumba, the Scholars Council Representative, encouraged the young learners at the event not to lose hope. He emphasized that regardless of their starting point, they can improve their circumstances by staying in school.
“Listen, my fellow students: do not give up. The only path to transforming your circumstances is through a steadfast commitment to your education and remaining in school. I have been in your shoes, but I pushed through and succeeded thanks to my mother’s unwavering support. Today, I proudly attend Makerere University, one of the leading institutions in Uganda. Embrace the challenge ahead and make your education your top priority!” Mr. Ddumba declared.
At Little Angels Junior School, pupils were excited to receive educational materials, reusable sanitary towels, mathematical sets, dictionaries, and textbooks for nursery to primary seven students.
Ms. Sarah Nturo, the headteacher, commended the Mastercard Foundation Scholars at Makerere University for the kind gesture.
She said the books will help the school improve its reading culture and performance.
“We are grateful to the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at Makerere University; we believe these books will significantly contribute to improving our pupils’ performance,” Ms. Nturo said.
Nturo also pointed out that they have challenges with the facilities and water as a school.
“Ever since we started this School, the education has improved because, in the past, parents could not allow their children to come here; instead, they would send them to the lake for fishing. But now, the children come only because they do not have somewhere to sit. We have few desks,” Nturo said.
During the visit, the pupils mesmerised the scholars with rare dance moves. The excitement did not leave the Programme Implementation team and teachers in their seats, making it a fun-filled event. The audience was left yearning for more.
Addressing the school, Mr. John Osuna, the Transition Lead at the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program, urged the pupils to use their school time to prepare for a bright future.
“Do not mind where you are coming from. We all started like this. Education is an equalizer. Now that you have an opportunity to study, focus on making the best out of it. Be disciplined pupils and listen to your teachers. The sky will be the limit,” Mr Osuna said.
During the event, Francis Kabuye Kaggwa, the Chairperson of the Parents Teacher Association (PTA) leadership, said that ever since the school started over 10 years back, they have never received guests who bring them gifts like how the Mastercard Foundation Scholars did.
“I think you have seen how excited the children were. We are all happy this has never happened to our school. Who are we to receive these gifts? We have challenges, but with friends like God on our side, we shall conquer,” Mr. Kabuye noted.
The Scholars’ Day of Community Service is an annual event where Mastercard Foundation Scholars at Makerere University engage in community service as a way of giving back. This initiative aims to empower vulnerable individuals in the community and contribute positively to society.
By Mak Communication Team
The Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe, while speaking at the inaugural commemoration of the International Day for Persons with Disabilities at Makerere University has appealed to the Government to increase the number of students with disabilities on government sponsorship.
The event held on Wednesday, 13th November 2024 was organised by the Office of the Dean of Students and the 90th Students’ Guild-Ministry of Students with Disabilities and held in the Yusuf Lule Central Teaching Facility Auditorium.
The day’s theme was: “Empowering Inclusion: Breaking Barriers, Unlocking Potential”
“Students with disabilities should be the first to be admitted on Government sponsorship because there are not so many,” Prof. Nawangwe said.
Prof. Nawangwe called upon the government to devise a scheme and policy for integrating students with disabilities into the working environment after graduation.
Prof. Nawangwe noted that the University has established a Disability Support Centre, a one-stop facility to ensure equal access to education and life, promote inclusivity, and support students and staff with disabilities.
“Over the years, Makerere University has branded itself as a place that actively and loudly promotes increased awareness about the rights and needs of students and staff with disabilities.” Prof. Nawangwe remarked.
While addressing the gathering, the Chief Guest, Hon. Hellen Grace Asamo, the State minister for Disability Affairs, called upon Persons with Disabilities to always believe in themselves and be able to break the barriers of the inferiority complex.
“You have to show people that you have the potential, and when people get to know your potential, they will begin to include and engage you. But if you do not have your potential, nobody will include you. They will think you are just someone who is just there seated and begging,” Hon. Asamo noted.
In her welcome remarks, Dr. Winifred Kabumbuli, the Dean of Students at Makerere University, said that the University is making a deliberate effort to pay particular attention to the decisive implementation of inclusive Policies and Practices.
“This is where we want all people to thrive and grow. Therefore, we are proud to accept and celebrate our differences and uniqueness. We welcome you here to build a culture of active support for each other and to declare that by championing a conducive environment for students and staff with disability, we are part of the change-makers of today,” Dr Kabumbuli said.
Dr. Kabumbuli also highlighted several policies the University has implemented, such as the Policy for Persons with Disabilities and safeguarding, Accommodation policy, University rules and regulations, the Human resource manual, and the student guild constitution that provides inclusive participation in student leadership and admission policies.
“These policies protect and enhance the rights of both staff and students with disabilities. For example, we have a student guild minister for persons with disabilities to ensure their voices are heard,” Dr. Kabumbuli noted.
Makerere has directed attention to ensuring accessible and comfortable accommodations for students with Disabilities by having designated accessible hostels and rooms. The University provides salaries, lodging, and meals for helpers who assist students with disabilities. A concentrated effort is also being made to build ramps, elevators, and accessible pathways to facilitate navigation for students and staff.
According to Dr Kabumbuli, the University has embraced a drive to facilitate students’ access to assistive devices, including wheelchairs, white canes, brailling machines, hearing aids, etc.
“As part of our commitment to inclusivity and accessibility, the University has designated a specialized space within the library, equipped with assistive technologies and resources, specifically for students with disabilities to ensure equal access to knowledge and academic success for all. We have also put in place special arrangements, such as extra time during examinations to enable access to education,” Dr Kabumbuli said.
Dr. Kabumbuli acknowledged the support from the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program, the Ministry of Gender, and the School of Law, which are committed to championing diversity, inclusion, and equity for People with Disabilities.
The International Day of Persons with Disabilities is celebrated annually on December 3rd to raise awareness and support for people with disabilities worldwide.
The 3rd annual Fundis and Technicians sensitization event and exhibition by manufacturers of building materials organized by the Department Architecture and Physical Planning at the College of Engineering, Design, Art and Technology (CEDAT), Makerere University came to a close with a call for increased partnerships between training institutions and the community.
The event that attracted 200 participants including masons, fundis, painters, builders, metal and electrical fabricators ran from Thursday 24th to Friday 25th October 2024 at CEDAT. It was supported by several stakeholders and was characterized by training sessions and an exhibition of building materials by different companies that make cement, paint, water tanks tiles and many more.
Prof. Henry Alinaitwe, the Deputy Vice Chancellor in charge of Finance and Administration represented the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe at the opening of the training. In his remarks, he extended appreciation to the technicians for accepting to take part in the training which he said was key in ensuring that they gain from continuous learning. Prof. Alinaitwe observed that although some of them did not get through formal training, it was important that they took part in such training programs to keep abreast of the developments in the construction industry where they undertake the bulk of the work as masons, technicians, plumbers, and metal fabricators.
‘Keep improving, we need to up our game in terms of quality’, he said while making reference to the need for quality output. He cautioned them on issues of cost and cheating of their clients by making realistic costs. ‘We need to cost the work well taking into account the materials, the labor, the equipment used, and the overheads’. The other area that needed to be taken care of by the technicians included time management, which reflects on attitudes towards work, team work. While addressing the gathering in his capacity as Chairman of the Engineers Registration Board, Prof. Alinaitwe said the upcoming engineering Registration Bill, if approved, has a provision for the registration of all artisans and hence the need to have the minimum requirements for the stakeholders to be registered. He also stressed the need to bring on board as more women as possible. ‘We want to see more women, who can do some aspects in construction better than men like painting.
Prof. Moses Musinguzi, the Principal of the College of Engineering, Design, Art and Technology while welcoming the trainees to the college said the training is a good initiative that will help address challenge of skill and work match. He encouraged the trainees to do smart work, and take due consideration of ethics and customer care. He encouraged the department to extend the training opportunity to other units of the college and the university and also make it more formal, as part and parcel of the training program of the college in liaison with bodies like UBTEB.
Assoc. Prof. Kizito Maria Kasule, the Deputy Principal CEDAT while appreciating the initiative of the department said countries like Germany have apprenticeship training that help the training of students to gain skills equivalent to those acquired while in formal institutions of learning. He said the academia in Uganda is increasingly recognizing the importance of the informal sector in the growth of the country. ‘We need to learn from you. Almost 90% of the people in the construction industry have been informally trained’. He said by learning from each other, the two sectors jointly make a contribution towards the development of the country.
Dr. Amin Tamale Kiggundu, the head of the Department of Architecture and Physical Planning said the initiative, a community outreach program of the college started three years ago in the year 2022 with 60 Fundis and masons, in 2023, the number was increased to 120 Fundis and the current 2024, was 200 Fundis of various categories, including painters, builders, metal fabricators, plumbers and electrical fabricators. He said this community outreach program aims at sharing the accumulated scientific knowledge in building, design and construction technologies at CEDAT, sharing the expertise, knowledge and experiences with communities in greater Kampala and hence bridging the existing knowledge and skills gap between the training institutions and the communities.
The 21st century is characterized by collaboration, partnerships, and establishment of knowledge economies. He said based on the trainings held so far, it is clear that partnerships between the training institutions and the communities were possible especially the Fundis who are closer to the communities. ‘We also want to learn from the Fundi’s experiences, how they are able to connect to the communities in some cases better than those who have gone through the training institutions’, he said. He further noted that the majority of fundis are young people that need to be supported with skills and other ways of nurturing them. The dream of the department, he said is to introduce an open door policy that allows fundis and other university students to come to learn.
Several organizations supported the event and participated in the exhibition and they included Habitat for Humanity, Uganda, Green Building Council Uganda, The National Building Board, Uganda Clays Limited, Centenary Bank, Steel and Tube Industries Ltd, Simba Cement, Plascon, Goodwill, Cresttanks among others.
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