The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Mukono, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Teachers in private and government schools are excited about the new curriculum introduced by the National Curriculum Development Center-NCDC.
The new curriculum which is to be implemented starting next month with Senior One is intended at providing holistic education, promotion of critical thinking, creativity, numeracy, interpersonal skills, professional mannerism and innovation among learners.
The curriculum also restrains the current assessment of examining students but promote continuous evaluation of learners’ performance.
About 2,500 teachers from various schools across the country have been sensitized on how the curriculum will be implemented.
Bernadette Nambi Karuhanga the deputy director of NCDC says they are targeting training 8,000 teachers. She says that before the end of this year senior two teachers and headteachers will also be trained until Senior Four.
Karuhanga notes that the new curriculum is not tiresome like the old one since it reduces the 43 subjects taught in lower secondary into seven core learning areas.
The learning areas include mathematics, biology, chemistry, geography, physics, English, history and political education and general science for only learners with special needs.
Learning areas of Kiswahili, agriculture, religious education, ICT, entrepreneurship and physical education shall be compulsory in senior one and two.
Sarah Kobusingye a mathematics teacher from Mazzolid Collage Nakaseke Campus says the government had taken many years without changing the curriculum. She notes that the new curriculum involves student participation and application of what they learn.
The Chemistry teacher from St Marys’ Collage Rushoroza Kabaale Agnes Tumuheisa note that content has been reduced and organized in a way that makes students have confidence. She says time is well allocated to make both the teacher and student benefit from it.
Isah Mpaata a geography teacher from Namugongo Seed School Kaliiro district says the curriculum is aiming at promoting talents since it also gives adequate time to co-curricular activities.
In the new curriculum, classes will start at 8 am and end at 2:50 pm and then to 4: 30 pm.
Sam Kuloba the Commissioner in the Ministry of Education and sports says it is time for teachers to get committed to their work if they are to quickly master the new curriculum, keep at school at avoid moonlighting since students will need much more time to be monitored.
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