Education
Education Minister Expresses Readiness to use Scientific Findings to Revive Sector
The First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Hon. Janet Kataaha Museveni while presiding over the Makerere University Research and Innovations Fund (Mak-RIF) College of Education and External Studies (CEES) Open Day has expressed Government’s and her Ministry’s preparedness to learn from the scientific evidence generated by research and innovations to guide the sector’s recovery from the effects of COVID-19.
The Open Day held physically in the Central Teaching Facility 1 (CTF1) and streamed online to a virtual audience on 7th October 2021 was based on the theme “Education Research for Sustainable Development”. It was graced by the Chairperson of Council Mrs. Lorna Magara, Vice Chancellor Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe, Chairperson Mak-RIF Grants Management Committee (GMC) Prof. William Bazeyo, University Secretary Mr. Yusuf Kiranda, Principal CEES Prof. Fred Masagazi Masaazi, Deputy Principal CEES Assoc. Prof. Paul Birevu Muyinda, Staff as well as Students.
“The Government is committed to supporting research and innovations in Universities, as you really now know, to provide high quality data to inform policy decisions. I want to encourage you to prioritise projects that are crucial to social and economic transformation” remarked the Honourable Minister.
She particularly took note of the “Inter-disciplinary Enhancement of Science Education in the Uganda Primary Thematic Curriculum” project as timely. The project among other objectives sought to appraise the importance of folklore in the teaching and learning of science in lower primary education.
“I think it is time that we find a way to bring out those issues in science that make sense to each child at a primary level in their mother tongue. That is when science will make sense to us and we will become transformational” urged the First Lady.
She lauded the researchers and University for the individual and institutional efforts to support the Education sector’s development and review of curricula at various levels, development of a National Teacher Policy as well as the Early Childhood Development Framework. She equally acknowledged Makerere’s support to the establishment of the Uganda National Institute of Teacher Education as well as to the ongoing development of the Digital Agenda of the Education and Sports sector.
“The Ministry appreciates all these contributions and I call upon you to continue supporting the Ministry in all possible ways – you must understand that a strong Ministry of Education is a strong sector of National Education throughout the country” she said.
The Minister commended the Mak-RIF GMC for identifying projects with the capacity to influence national development, noting that “the showcase projects are testimony that the funds are being properly utilised and it is my prayer that universities continue to do more and indeed live the purpose for which they exist as knowledge hubs for development.”
She applauded the University Council and Management for the efforts to support continuity of learning for students, and urged all in attendance to join hands and mobilize staff and students to get vaccinated in preparation for the reopening of tertiary institutions on 1st November using a staggered approach.
The seven presentations by CEES at the dissemination included;
- Investing in Data and Research to Inform Education Policy by Prof. Anthony M. Mugagga,
- Resilient Communities for Quality Primary Education in Uganda (ReCoPE) by Mr. Philemon Mukisa & Mrs. Alice Nankya Ndidde,
- Enhancing Continued Learning to Rural Contexts during the COVID-19 Lockdown: Case of Kyotera District Rural Contexts by Dr. Tom D. Balojja,
- Mapping Makerere University’s Capacity to Mainstream e-Learning in University Education by Dr. Michael Walimbwa,
- Pedagogical Leadership for Academic Staff in Higher Education Institutions to Enhance Graduate Work Readiness and Transition to work (PLASHE-WILL) by Dr. Ronald Bisaso,
- Using Blended Learning to Fast Track Capacity Development for Teachers Implementing the Lower Secondary School Curriculum (BL4CD) by Dr. Paul Birevu Muyinda and
- Inter-disciplinary Enhancement of Science Education in the Uganda Primary Thematic Curriculum by Dr. Henry Busulwa.
The Chairperson of Council Mrs. Lorna Magara in her remarks welcomed the First Lady to CEES her college where she is a treasured alumna, and thanked her for the charismatic leadership of Uganda’s Education sector during the COVID-19 pandemic.
She noted that the Open Day had been made possible with generous support from Government to Research and Innovations at Makerere University to the tune of UGX 30 Billion annually and on behalf of the University leadership sincerely appreciated the gesture.
“The College of Education and External Studies has been a centre of excellence in pedagogy since the founding of the School of Education. Presently we have challenged the college to deliver research and innovations that prepare responsive professionals for the emerging realities in teaching and learning including globalization and technology and the COVID-19 situation and I can say that they have responded well” remarked Mrs. Magara.
The Chairperson of Council added that Makerere has relied on CEES for leadership through the Institute of Open, Distance and e-Learning (IODeL) to deliver the blended learning model, which enabled teaching and student assessment to continue during the COVID-19 lockdown.
The Vice Chancellor Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe in his remarks prior to the Chairperson’s welcomed the First Lady and Honourable Minister “home” and sincerely thanked her for the support in obtaining Cabinet approval for funds to reconstruct the University’s iconic Main Building.
He noted that Makerere was already taking giant steps one year into implementing her ten year strategic plan aimed at making her a research-led University, thanks to the generous support from the Government of Uganda through Mak-RIF and the Presidential Scientific Initiative on Epidemics (PRESIDE).
“The two interventions by Government have enabled us to improve our research infrastructure and avail funds to our researchers. Practically every College, School and Department is now engaged in research and development activities” appreciated Prof. Nawangwe.
The Vice Chancellor acknowledged the central role played by CEES in enabling the University to continue conducting teaching and assessment despite the challenges posed by COVID-19. “We are happy to share the expertise developed at Makerere with our sister universities in Uganda.”
He added that the seven research projects presented at the Open Day were proof of Makerere’s enormous capacity to find solutions to the challenges that face Uganda’s Education system right from Pre-Primary to Universities, especially in the wake of COVID-19. The Vice Chancellor renewed the University’s call to Government to fund graduate student education, noting that this would help the country to develop faster.
“Honourable Minister, Makerere is ready to support you in your enormous task of enabling recovery of the Education sector from the effects of COVID-19, and I would like to believe that the presentations that you have listened to and seen are testimony to that readiness” affirmed the Vice Chancellor.
Speaking on behalf of the Mak-RIF GMC, the Chairperson Prof. William Bazeyo paid tribute to Hon. Janet Museveni for being that Minister of Education and Sports that inspired Makerere to become a research-led University. “We responded to your call and here we are to show the fruits of what you inspired us to do and we sincerely thank you.”
He thanked the Chairperson of Council for embracing the Minister’s vision for Makerere University to become research-led and the Vice Chancellor for taking up the mantle. “Getting Makerere to have this research and come up with findings that help Government and respond to national development goals is not easy and I want to thank you Professor Nawangwe.”
Prof. Bazeyo equally paid tribute to the College Principals and researchers for coming up with projects that will impact the Ugandan society saying, “I want to thank my colleagues and congratulate the Principal and your team for the great job done.”
On this note, he was pleased to inform the Honourable Minister that findings from one of the projects “Enhancing Continued Learning to Rural Contexts during the COVID-19 Lockdown: Case of Kyotera District Rural Contexts” revealed that the greatest impact on teaching and learning during the COVID-19 lockdown had been as a result of the teaching materials whose distribution she strongly advocated for.
“And now we have evidence to show that what the Ministry (of Education and Sports) did was the right thing” added Prof. Bazeyo.
The Principal Prof. Fred Masagazi Masaazi in his address thanked the First Lady and Minister for accepting the invitation to grace the Open Day. “This is an important day in many ways; first, we are proving our capacity as a College in contributing to National Development through posing questions on Education issues and providing answers to some.”
He added that as Makerere University marks 100 years of service and contribution to the world, CEES had commenced her celebrations with the Open Day, and preparations were underway to host a reunion day for the College’s alumni adding, “We are hopeful that our Chief Guest will join us.”
Prof. Masagazi Masaazi shared that their research findings had indicated that the education sector was not likely to go back to the pre-COVID-19 school setting, but was well primed for change through innovative re-imagination. He cited curriculum, instructional materials, assessment, teacher preparation, retooling of teachers, leadership, and leadership development as some of the areas that would need to be innovatively re-imagined.
The Principal pledged his college’s commitment to continue providing innovative education solutions through the establishment of the Makerere University Institute of Teacher Education Research, “which will mainstream and further institutionalize cutting-edge research on teacher education in Uganda and beyond.”
Education
Call for Papers: Makerere University Journal of Research and Innovations in Teacher Education (RITE)
The association of Kiswahili speakers in Uganda through their umbrella body, CHAKITAU, have asked the government to pass a directive making the language compulsory in schools and higher institutions.
CHAKITAU is a Swahili word which stands for Chama Cha Kiswahili Cha Taifa Cha Uganda.
The members said if Kiswahili is integrated in teaching and learning at all levels, Uganda will then realize the East African Community goals and objectives.
Dr Levi Masereka Kahaika, a lecturer of Kiswahili at Makerere, said the government should think about introducing the language at nursery level.
This he believes will make learning Kiswahili easy since it is believed the learning rate among children is higher than their older counterparts.
“Our research revealed that if a child is introduced to a language when he/she is still young, chances are high they will speak it fluently,” Dr Masereka said.
He further noted that a child is capable of learning six languages at a time, and Kiswahili should be prioritized alongside English, the official language.
“At the regional level, we are talking about free movement and free residency so we need to start now and everyone learns Kiswahili since it unites the East African Community,’ Dr Masereka said.
Kiswahili speakers raised the concern during the 17th annual Kiswahili conference which was held at Makerere University from 23rd to 24th March, 2024.
The conference was graced by students taking Kiswahili language at higher institutions of learning lead by Makerere University, the host institution, Kyambogo University, Metropolitan International University, Bishop Stuart University, Mountains of the Moon University, Uganda Martyrs University, and Pentecostal University among others.
Schools including St Kizito SS Bugolobi, St Joseph Naggalama, Archbishop Kiwanuka Masaka, and Kampala Parents’ school among others also participated.
Dr Muhammad Kiggundu, the Head of the Department of Humanities and Language Education at Makerere University officiated at the conference on the opening day as the guest of honour.
In his remarks, Dr Kiggundu said despite the integration of Kiswahili in the Ordinary level curriculum, many teachers have remained unemployed, posing a risk to the future of the language in Uganda.
He asked the government to reconsider recruiting Bachelor’s degree holders saying the majority of the recent teachers recruited on government payroll were diploma holders.
“Government recruited diploma holders to teach students in lower secondary leaving out the bachelor’s teachers, most of whom are on the streets of Kampala searching for jobs,” Dr Kiggundu said.
He noted that since Kiswahili was introduced at Makerere University, they have passed out 40 percent of Kiswahili teachers in the country but only 10 percent have since secured jobs.
Dr Kiggundu asked the government to take immediate action and have those idle teachers deployed in schools countrywide to enable them spread the language to other parts of the country.
Dr Boaz Mutungi, the vice president of CHAKITAU, expressed worry over Kiswahili being taught in only central and Western schools and institutions.
“All universities in the North and Eastern don’t offer Kiswahili as one of the subjects in schools,” Dr Mutundi said.
He asked the government to absorb the available teachers and put them in vacant schools and institutions.
According to the statistics presented by CHAKITAU as of 2024, they have a total of 2,401 teachers as registered members of the association but 2,056 of them are unemployed.
The statistics further reveal that only 345 teachers are employed by the government countrywide. 57 of these teachers are diploma holders, 23 of them are Master’s degree holders and 19 teachers have Doctorate in Kiswahili (PhD), with one Doctor still unemployed.
The rest of them who are the majority have bachelors from different universities.
Dr Martin Mulei, the patron of CHAWAKANA Uganda, lauded primary and secondary schools that have already started adopting the language policy of teaching Kiswahili.
In 2022, cabinet approved the implementation of the 21st East African Community Summit directive in Uganda to make Kiswahili the official language and they also approved compulsory teaching of Kiswahili in primary and secondary schools.
However, the directive worked well in lower secondary schools after making Kiswahili compulsory for seniors one and two.
The Institute of Open, Distance and e-Learning (IODeL) has bid farewell to one of its longest serving academics, Dr. Samuel Ndeda Siminyu. This was at a colorful luncheon on March 27, 2024. Spiced up with music, dance, food, drinks, jokes, laughter, and nostalgic speeches, the party was attended by the institute’s staff, friends, and colleagues of Uncle Sam, as he has been popularly known.
Colleagues shared memories of Uncle Sam’s dedication to the job, resilience and mentorship. Speaker after speaker underscored his fatherly approach towards handling of both students and fellow staff. “I remember my first travel abroad was with uncle Sam. We suffered several mishaps such as missing the plane, but he kept claiming me down, saying we would hope that all would be well. Indeed, after one month of being abroad, we returned safely. He was and still is like a father to me,” Mr. Kajumbula Richard said.
Dr. Siminyu was also praised for his mastery of the English language. “Can it be true that Omuwongo Samwiri has clocked retirement? Samwiri remains my legendary wordsmith! I will greatly miss those positive comments about my grammar, word diction, and synthesis! Samwiri is not only brainy but also well cultured, responsible, respectful, amiable, jovial, warm and polished. I am lucky to have known and interacted with Mzee Mangeni (Sr) who fathered these eminent personalities. Samwiri has been my trusted encyclopedia, and it’s sad that he is retiring at such a young age,” another colleague shared.
Another colleague, Mr Arthur Mugisha also added, “Sam was such a perfectionist that nothing would cross his table with any errors, and he appends a signature. I remember him principally teaching me how to write official documents in his office. I would draft, and then we would write together what he would sign. He has such a moral character that everyone would wish to emulate.”.
“Sam was a father figure to many of us who came as young staff. especially me, who never joined Makerere with anyone holding my hand but my performance. If anything was going astray, he would call you and counsel you instead of reprimanding you. For me, that was perfect leadership. I have learnt quite a lot from him, which makes me stand out in my leadership within and outside the department.”
Uncle Sam, as he is known by many in the department, has mentored many staff on matters of student support, managing DE programs, handling students as coordinators, matters of faith, and personal well-being.
On his part, Dr. Siminyu thanked IODEL for the love and support shown to him over the year and for the beautiful sendoff. He expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to mentor and lead others, and he emphasized the importance of continuous learning and growth in leadership. Dr. Siminyu’s legacy of compassionate leadership will continue to inspire those he has mentored for years to come. His dedication to helping others succeed has left a lasting impact on the department, and his wisdom and guidance will be greatly missed. Dr. Siminyu’s legacy will live on through the countless individuals he has influenced throughout his career. He said that he is confident that his mentees will carry on his values and teachings, making a positive impact on their own leadership journeys.
Speaking during the luncheon, Mr. Banadda Godfrey, a member of the Makerere University Retirement Benefits Scheme (MURBS) and also a retiree, shared some insight into what one needs to do pre and post-retirement.
Mr Banadda said it was important for one to save money before retirement. This, he said, should be invested in a fixed deposit account or a unit trust so that one is able to enjoy the interest accrued during retirement.
He advised Dr. Siminyu to draw up his own retirement plan, which he said would guide him in the utilization of his money.
“You will need to put in place a plan for cash flow and also have an investment plan for your benefits. Look at investment options like bonds and trust funds,” he emphasized.
Don’t delegate the use of your money or enterprise. Invest in ventures you can supervise effectively. Always adjust to your new status quo. Your lifestyle might need to change, so adjust quickly. Don’t live in denial.”
Mr. Banadda advised Dr. Siminyu to continue socializing and also widen his social networks by joining clubs, visiting friends and family, and engaging in regular exercise.
“Above all of this, enrich your spiritual life, join a church, and pray,” he concluded.
About Dr. Siminyu
- BAED 1989 and scored Upper Second
- MA 1995
- Joined the Department of Distance Education as a contract staff (Editor) 1995
- Got Contract appointment for 6 months on 25th January 1996 an Editor
- He joined with a Masters Degree so he got an appointment as a lecturer on March 11, 1998 a rank he has held until his retirement.
- He previously served as the head of the Department of Distance Education
- All through his service at Makerere, he has served as the Head of Materials Development and Distribution Section in the department.
- Sam has been an expert in curriculum development and review for all the delivered programs in the department (B.Ed/ Ext, B.COX, B.Sc and BARI)
- He became the interim managing editor of Makerere University Press on June 20, 2022 and made several publications under his watchful eye.
- Sam was one of the pioneers of online learning at Makerere University. He did his PhD at the University of Liverpool purely online.
- He has participated in policy formulation and implementation at various levels.
-
Humanities & Social Sciences1 week agoMak Luminaries Call for the Promotion of Humanities & Literature in Uganda’s Education System for a Balanced Citizenry with Human & Moral Values
-
Agriculture & Environment2 weeks agoTwo Slots For Student Study Exchange Programme at University of Padova, Italy
-
Education2 weeks agoCHAKITAU calls for directive to make Kiswahili compulsory
-
Health2 weeks agoCall for Applications: AWE Change Masters fellowship programme support
-
Education2 weeks agoCall for Papers: Makerere University Journal of Research and Innovations in Teacher Education (RITE)