By Sadique Bamwita
NATIONAL/ENTEBBE
A section of Members of Parliament in the committee of Education and Sports have prophesized doom for new proposed policies in the Education sector including having graduate teachers fort all levels.
The Legislators who were meeting Ministry of Education officials in Entebbe last week say these policies will not work because the Ministry of Education and sports has failed to motivate teachers who would take a lead in the effective implementation of the proposed policies.
Speaking to the media in Entebbe during an interaction between Members of parliament on the parliamentary committee on education and sports and the Ministry of Education officials, some opposition Legislators led by Entebbe Municipality MP, Hon. Michael Kakembo Mbwatekamwa, argue that the said education policies are not pragmatic because politicians are not involved while drafting them but are only involved during the approval.
“We are only involved during the approval process yet we are key stakeholders in the drafting process that is left to the so called technocrats,” Hon. Kakembo roared.
Hon. Kakembo said that in order to improve the education sector in Uganda, government should adopt a comprehensive policy that will manage sports and that it was a big mistake to include sports in the Ministry of Education and sports.
“We are supposed to have a separate ministry for sports in order to promote talent among the young school going children. Government should reconsider separating education and sports as independent Ministries.” He added.
Hon. Kakembo castigated officials from the Ministry of Education and sports for wasting tax payers’ money to organize conferences in executive hotels in pretense of discussing education policies which never materialize.
“This is total wastage of money to call Legislators in a workshop to discuss education policies and at the end of the day each is paid 100 US dollars per day yet a teacher is paid peanuts as salary.
He further dissented with the proposed National Teachers’ policy which requires a teacher to have a degree to teach a primary school and advised government to first motivate Grade three teachers before they think of recruiting graduate teachers.
“Government doesn’t know what to do to improve education in the country that’s why it’s proposing a degree for a primary teacher yet grade two teachers used to be the best teachers. Really this is a sign of falling regime which has run out of new ideas.
On the other hand, Hon. John Twesigye Ntamuhiira, the chairperson of the Parliamentary committee on Education and sports as well as the legislator for Bunyaruguru County, Rubirizi district, said some of the Legislators don’t understand the education policies very well and hence there is need to make them understand the mandate of the Ministry of Education and sports.
