Teachers Should Use their Professional Knowledge to Transform Uganda- Museveni
By: Kyeyune Ali
On Thursday, Uganda joined the rest of the world to celebrate the world teachers’ day that is commemorated every the 5th day of October.
The main national celebrations were held at Kololo Independence grounds and it was presided over by the President, H.E Yoweri Kaguta Museveni.
In his speech, Museveni urged teachers to utilize their professional knowledge to transform Uganda, socially and economically.
“In your education system, when you say you are a social scientist, you find a peasant producing another peasant and you don’t see that as a problem and you continue teaching, what are you teaching? Why don’t you see that there’s social stagnation here and in some cases social regression? We have been having some scuffles over the issue of the correct approach to knowledge transfer ever since independence because there are some people who looked at education as a means of copying foreign things and trying to be Europeans. Of course we didn’t agree with those people and we used to have normal scuffles and we struggled against that type of miseducation,” President Museveni said.
The event ran under the theme “The teachers we need for the education we want: the global imperative to reverse the teacher shortage”.
Gen. Museveni explained that the correct approach to knowledge transfer involves three parts which include the basic tools (reading, writing and counting), the study of society and the study of nature which can improve people’s welfare or damage it.
He was also happy to note that educators nowadays are adapting a progressive education system and that they were beginning to discuss impactful topics that would change the face of the system thus leading to the national development of Uganda.
The First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Maama Janet Museveni commended the teachers for their invaluable contribution towards Uganda’s national development. and also said that ” Today the nation Uganda joins the global community in acknowledging the pivotal role that teachers play in the lives of our children. This day holds a significant place in our education calendar, dedicated to recognizing the tireless efforts of the teachers in moulding our lives and nurturing our children,” Maama Janet said.
She also advised that Uganda as part of the global community must adapt its education system to produce citizens who are not only relevant but also well prepared for the demands of the society.
“My Ministry established an Education Review Commission to evaluate our education system and define the education we desire. This process takes into account all the changes that have occurred since the 1992 White Paper on Education which has been a guiding document for our education system. Consultations are currently underway and I encourage all citizens to contribute to this so that collectively we can shape the education we aspire to have in this country. I’m eagerly waiting for the Commission’s report which will serve as a guide for the future of our education system.”
The National Chairperson of Uganda Professional Science Teachers’ Union (UPSTU), Mr. Vincent Elong, who represented all the Teachers’ Union leaders in the country, said the day helps them to celebrate the significant efforts of teachers across the country but also to address themselves to the vital issues that immensely affect the future of the country’s national education system.