SCP Anne Tusiime, the UPF Deputy Director Human Resource Development (3rd Left), Project PI-Dr. Badru Musisi (4th Right), SCP Fred Enanga, the UPF Spokesperson (Right), SCP Kafeero Moses Kabugo (Left) with members of the Research Team and Officers at the UPF Headquarters in Naguru.
The Uganda Police Force (UPF) in partnership with Makerere University have approved a new training course intended to impart soft skills in police trainees.
The program dubbed “Promoting community policing by integrating soft skills in Uganda Police training” funded by the Government of Uganda through Makerere UniversityResearch and Innovations Fund (Mak-RIF) is expected to be rolled out in 2025 and it will be part and parcel of the police training course.
SCP Anne Tusiime, the Deputy Director Human Resource Development, embraced the program and pledged support for the course.
“I believe with this project that is ongoing, we are heading to making the force better,” she noted
This idea was conceived in 2020 by Dr Badru Musisi, a senior lecturer at the College of Education and External Studies (CEES) and the Principal Investigator (PI) following the public’s outcry that police is brutalising people and the general feeling that police is anti-people.
SCP Tusiime revealed that they are facing challenges arising from lack of soft skills and those having the skills lack the tactics to use those skills.
“While we have put in much effort, we still have some challenges, especially from lacking skills or having skills and we don’t use them the way they are supposed to be used. And picking from our name, some of the skills are typically hard skills not soft ones. And so we end up losing out some bits,” She added after approving the course during the workshop which was held at the Police headquarters in Naguru, Kampala on November.
She asked the team of the principal investigators to design a way how skills that may look to be hard, can be simplified and made a little bit softer.
“Let’s hold our hands to see that we pull it through. The pledge on behalf of the force is that we are committed to human resource development. We pray that this project will give us a serious backup in whatever we are doing,” SCP Tusiime emphasised
SCP Fred Enanga, the Police Spokesperson told the team of researchers that when passing out officers, they are trained in soft skills because in exercising their duties, they use negotiations but the practice has not been direct as this course is intending to do.
Dr Musisi revealed that the three-year project has finally started to bear fruits after soft skills taxonomy was approved by the top officers.
“We are going to use the soft skill taxonomy to develop a transformative framework for embedding soft skills in police training programs,” he noted.
On this move, researchers believe that when they secure the balance between the hard and soft skill policing, community policing will ultimately be promoted saying, “We expect to have police officers that build a cordial relationship between the force and the community.”
After developing the transformative framework, Dr Musisi noted that they are going to train the instructors of all police training schools and colleges in the country how to use that framework to embed soft skills in their routine training programs.
“The soft skills taxonomy is going to give us a foundation of which soft skills are going to be embedded. And our next step is to develop the transformative framework for embedding soft skills that will be tested, refined, passed and thereafter in the third year, we shall be rolling it out,” he revealed.
Ms Evelyne Baelvina Nyachwo, the Research Support Officer from Mak-RIF who represented Prof Fred Masagazi Masagazi revealed that the Makerere UniversityResearch and Innovations fund (Mak-RIF), funded by the government of Uganda and started in 2019 to support research to provide solutions through innovations to the current challenges Ugandans face.
“We receive money to support research and so we give this money to Makerere lecturers so that they can be able to develop ideas which are majorly tailored to solving our local problems. We identify what is disturbing us and then through research, we come up with the solutions and innovations to solve these problems.” she said
She noted that this project was very timely owing to the issues coming up between the community and the police. “There is limited trust and yet police are supposed to be an arm that protects the community. We want to ensure that our officers have extra soft skills added to them to ensure that they can serve the nation but also become better people and provide better service,” she added.
Makerere University in collaboration with the University of Agder, Norway, University of Rwanda and Jimma University is implementing a NORAD funded project titled Transformative Education and Lifelong Learning for Sustainable Growth (TELLS).
TELLS aims at developing sufficient stock of gender balanced imaginal, transformative leaders and workforce for sustainable development of Sub-Saharan Nations. In so doing TELLS has the following four (4) objectives
Employability – fast-track access to future work markets.
Promotion and recognition of excellence in teaching
Promotion of new and transformative teaching and learning methods/models
Development of policies and new strategies/guidelines for innovative teaching and learning.
The TELLS project wishes to recruit two senior researchers (1 female and 1 male) from Makerere University to each undertake a 161-hour action/field research on emerging education technologies. The 161 hours shall be distributed within a period of six months (July – December 2024). The senior researcher may choose to research on emerging education technologies within these priority areas.
Policies for use of artificial intelligence and Chatbots in education
Innovations in blended teaching and learning
Online course development and online tutoring
Online Instruction/Learning Design
Micro credentials/micro degrees
Design, usability testing and evaluation of virtual learning environment
Authentic Assessment in online learning environments
Quality research proposal (maximum 10 pages) with the following research directions, theories and frameworks, materials and methods, research directions, proposed research publication and work plan
A statement of motivation and commitment (Maximum 2 pages)
Commitment to produce at least one (1) quality co-authored publication within the grant period
Having a research team of at least three (3) scholars
Research duration and funding
The grant will last for a period of six months (July to December 2024)
Each research grant will be provided as salary/stipend for research time at UGX 50,000 per hour for 161 hours
Applications Procedure
Submit your application to maurice.isabwe@uia.no with a copy to mpbirevu2023@gmail.com not later than 19th July 2024. Also drop your hardcopy application to the TELLS Office in School of Distance and Lifelong Learning, College of Education and External Studies, Makerere University.
In an ambitious move to enhance early childhood development, researchers from Makerere University’s College of Education and External Studies are advocating for the integration of nutrition education into the training programs for early childhood development (ECD) teachers. This groundbreaking initiative aims to equip future educators with essential knowledge and skills to foster healthy eating habits among young learners, potentially leading to significant improvements in their cognitive development, academic performance, and long-term health outcomes.
The Call for Integration
Led by Dr. Josephine Esaete, the research team highlighted the critical role of nutrition in the overall development and well-being of young children. Dr. Esaete emphasized that teachers, particularly those in early childhood education, have a unique opportunity to shape the eating habits and nutrition knowledge of their students. By incorporating nutrition education into teacher training programs, educators can become powerful agents of change, promoting healthy behaviors that will benefit children throughout their lives.
“By integrating nutrition education into teacher training programs, we can ensure that early childhood teacher educators are equipped with the necessary knowledge to promote healthy eating habits and behaviors among young children,” Dr. Esaete said during the dissemination workshop.
A Holistic Approach
The dissemination of the research and launch of the recommendation report saw a strong emphasis on collaboration. The research team underscored the importance of a cooperative effort between schools, parents, and community organizations to guarantee children access to nutritious foods both at school and at home. This holistic approach aims to address food insecurity and promote overall health and well-being among students, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa, where malnutrition is a significant issue. In Uganda, alarming statistics reveal that 49% of child deaths are associated with malnutrition, and a substantial proportion of school-age children suffer from stunting, underweight, thinness, and obesity.
Prof. Anthony Muwagga Mugagga, the principal of the college, reinforced the need for this comprehensive strategy, urging the focus to extend beyond early childhood learners to include those in universal primary education who often face hunger. He highlighted the necessity of addressing food insecurity across all educational settings to ensure that children have access to nutritious meals.
Ms Harriet Adong, who represented the Makerere University Research and innovation fund, the funding agency congratulated the research team saying that the proposed guidelines are crucial for promoting the health and well-being of young children in schools. She also emphasized the importance of ongoing research and collaboration to ensure effective implementation of these guidelines.
Implementing the Vision
The project activities, already initiated in five primary teacher colleges including Bishop Willis CPTC and St. Aloysius Core Primary Teachers College, aim to make lasting changes in the curriculum. Dr. Esaete and her team are working on a policy brief to advocate for these changes at the governmental level, aiming to influence the Department of Teacher Education, Training, and Development at the Ministry of Education and Sports.
Key recommendations from the study include:
Sensitizing ECD teacher trainees about the MoES (2013) school feeding guidelines.
Encouraging teacher training colleges to embrace these feeding guidelines.
Continuous parental sensitization on providing healthy and safe midday snacks for children.
Initiating nutrition interventions that start with teacher education.
Reworking the content of nutrition courses taught to ECD teacher trainees to incorporate emerging global nutrition issues relevant to their professional practice.
Paving the Way Forward
The research team, comprising Dr. Josephine Esaete, Mr. Edward Kansiime, Dr. Gaston Ampeire Tumuhimbise, Dr. Michael Walimbwa, and Dr. Alfred Buluma, is committed to seeing these recommendations take root. Their efforts signify a proactive step towards creating a supportive environment where children can learn about nutrition and make healthy choices, ultimately shaping the well-being of the next generation.
As these initiatives progress, the hope is that by equipping educators with the right tools and knowledge, the cognitive development and health of young children in Uganda, and potentially across Sub-Saharan Africa, will see significant improvement. The integration of nutrition education into early childhood development teacher training is not just a proposal; it’s a necessary evolution in educational practice that promises to nurture healthier, more informed future generations.
A recent study by the Capability Enhancement Project for Innovative Doctoral Education at Ugandan Universities (CEPIDE) reveals significant challenges in the country’s doctoral education system. The study, conducted over the period 2011-2024, underscores low conversion and completion rates among doctoral candidates in Uganda, raising concerns about the future of the nation’s research and innovation capacity.
The study findings were released during a dissemination workshop held on May 30, 2024 at Makerere University.
Key Findings:
Low Transition Rates: Only 7.6% of master’s graduates advanced to doctoral studies.
Enrollment Figures: Public institutions enrolled approximately 1,903 doctoral students from 2011 to 2020.
Completion Rates: Of these, only 69.6% completed their doctoral programs by 2024, amounting to just 1,324 graduates.
Institutional Disparities:Makerere University dominated doctoral completions, accounting for 81.4% of the total.
Gender Disparity: Female graduates represented only 33.8% of doctoral completions.
STEM Focus: 58% of doctoral completions at Makerere University were in STEM fields.
Dr. Irene Etomaru – PI of the Project.
Challenges Identified:
The study highlights several constraints impacting the doctoral pipeline, including:
Supervision Challenges: Insufficient support and resources for doctoral supervisors.
Situational Factors: External and personal circumstances affecting students’ ability to complete their studies.
Institutional Factors: Lack of robust support systems within universities.
Student Characteristics: Variability in students’ preparedness and resilience.
The team also used the same forum to unveil and launch a course module intended to equip supervisors with more skills. The course named Innovative Doctoral Supervision for the 21st Century: Specialized Capacity Building Training Course for Doctoral Supervisors in Uganda.
Speaking at the launch, the guest of honour, the ED of the NCHE, represented by Dr. Norah Miliira underscored the importance of doctoral studies saying NCHE recognizes the need for critical high-level knowledge and skills to power Uganda’s economy through research and Innovations. Dr. Muliira noted that NCHE had proposed to government to include a National Research Fund in its planning in an effort to support doctoral research.
Dr. Tom D. Balojja – Co-PI of the project.
Prof. Julius Kikooma, the Dean East African School of Higher Education and Development, advised that if we are to meet the development needs of the country, we ought to produce 1,000 PhDs every year.
Prof. Anthony Mugagga, the Principal of CEES called on NCHE to formulate PhD policies that have crosscutting courses, a thing he said would help in quality assurance.
The Executive Secretary-Uganda National Council for Science & Technology, in a speech read for him by Ms Beth Mutumba said the council is set to establish a research integrity code of conduct for which universities will have institutionalized policies to cab unethical practices and continue dissemination of the national regulatory frameworks.
Dr. Hamis Mugendawala who represented the ED of National Planning Authority cautioned universities against focusing on training more PhDs but rather focus on training quality PhDs in skills scarce areas. He pledged NPA’s support in implementing some of the key recommendations of the study.
Participants at the event.
The research is funded by the government of Uganda through the Makerere UniversityResearch and Innovations Fund. Represented by Prof. Robert Wamala, the MakRIF chair, Prof. Fred Masagazi-Masaazi, congratulated the research team upon the study and said that the findings will be crucial in guiding policy makers and stakeholders in addressing the skills gap in the country. He emphasized the importance of collaboration between universities and government agencies to ensure that research outcomes are effectively utilized for national development. He appreciated government’s support to the university.
Conclusions: The study concludes that Uganda’s doctoral pipeline is “leaky and constrained,” resulting in low participation in graduate education and subsequently fewer researchers in the national system. This shortfall affects the country’s ability to achieve Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Target 9.5 and hampers progress toward national development goals. Additionally, the underrepresentation of women in research careers may further impede efforts to attain gender parity.
Recommendations:
CEPIDE proposes several measures to address these issues:
National Framework: Development of a national framework for doctoral education to enhance quality and accountability.
Research Culture: Promotion of a supportive research culture, ensuring proper funding and resources.
Supervisor Training: Mandatory training and certification for doctoral supervisors.
Equity Initiatives: Affirmative actions to boost female participation in doctoral programs and research careers.
Quality Assurance: Establishment of a specialized quality assurance system for doctoral education.
Institutional Support: Enhanced support services for graduate students, focusing on information, resources, and personal wellbeing.
Participants at the event.
Implications for the Future:
These recommendations aim to bolster Uganda’s research and innovation ecosystem by improving the doctoral education pipeline. Implementing these measures is crucial for increasing the number of doctoral graduates, enhancing research capacity, and fostering national development. The focus on gender parity and STEM fields aligns with Uganda’s strategic priorities, but addressing systemic issues in the doctoral education system remains essential for sustained progress.
About CEPIDE:
The Capability Enhancement Project for Innovative Doctoral Education at Ugandan Universities (CEPIDE) is part of the Makerere University Research and Innovation Fund (Mak-RIF). It is funded by the Government of Uganda to support impactful research and innovation, aiming to align academic outputs with national development priorities.
As Uganda continues to position itself as a knowledge society, the findings and recommendations of the CEPIDE study offer a roadmap for strengthening doctoral education and, by extension, the nation’s research and innovation potential.
Research Team:
Dr. Irene Etomaru, Dr. Tom Darlington Balojja, Dr. Louis Theophilus Kakinda