Busoga leaders asked to work collectively to improve education standards

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Leaders in the Busoga region have been asked to work collectively and improve Universal Primary Education-UPE in the region other than wait for government intervention.

The call was made by the chairperson of Busoga Education Initiative (BEI), Dr Agnes Kadama at a five-day meeting aimed at boosting education standards in the region’s worst-performing schools.

Kadama argues that teachers, parents and local leaders should work out a plan of uplifting education within the available resources rather than cry out to government.

Kadama further says that if the Basoga agrees to jointly change their mindset towards education, poor performance will be eliminated.

“The problem of Busoga is not the inadequate resources within the schools but rather mindset change and if all leaders agree to jointly improve the education standards in our region, education performance will steadily improve and the school standards shall be better,” she said.

Dr Rose Badaza, a researcher attached to Uganda Christian University says that Busoga’s education problem emanate from lack of coordination among teachers, parents and the leaders.

“The reasons why efforts to revive Busoga’s education standards have unanimously failed is because parents, teachers and local leaders are not playing their respective roles but if the responsible stakeholders take on these roles effectively, the academic glory of the region will be regained again,” she said.

According to Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB) statistics, the region has recorded the highest number of zero scores in the Primary Living Examinations (PLE) over the last four years. UNEB analysis indicates that Primary schools in six of the 10 districts in Busoga sub-region have been failing miserably.

The districts of Namutumba, Iganga, Kaliro, Mayuge, Luuka, Bugiri, Kamuli and Buyende, among others, have been listed among the worst performing districts in the entire country for the last five years, with the majority of candidates getting zero scores. UNEB also commissioned a study to find out causes of the poor performance in the region.

The UNEB study revealed the high rate of teachers’ and pupils’ absenteeism, lack of meals at school, pupils’ inability to read and others as some of the reasons for poor performance.

Moses Kizige, the State Minister for Karamoja affairs said that the region has spearheaded several education programs but they don’t yield positive results due to lack of commitment.

Rosemary Sseninde says that supervision of head teachers and teachers will be increased in the poor performing schools in the region.

She also said that hard-working teachers and head teachers will be rewarded with study tours both in the country and abroad whereas the best performing pupils in the 2019 PLE exams shall be awarded scholarships for their O’level studies,”.

***

URN