The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga has directed the Minister of Education Janet Museveni to appear before Parliament and explain steps taken on the MPs resolution to halt the implementation of the new revised lower secondary curriculum.
MPs want Janet Museveni referred to Disciplinary Committee for contempt of Parliament.
Kadaga made the directive on Thursday amid calls from a section of Members of Parliament to send the Minister to the disciplinary committee of parliament for refusing to implement a resolution of parliament halting the curriculum.
Last week parliament halted the implementation of the revised lower secondary curriculum, which among others scraps termly examinations.
The curriculum was developed by the National Curriculum Development centre (NCDC) and it replaces termly exams with projects that students will undertake every end of topic. Teachers will then be required to note the student’s progress before any other topic is introduced.
However, teachers will be administering end of year exams in order to give feedback to parents and guardians.
Parliament argued that the new curriculum implementation that starts next week with Senior One students was rushed and required more consultation of stakeholders.
However, Cabinet on Monday met and instead cleared the Ministry of Education to continue with the implementation of the new curriculum.
The Leader of Opposition Betty Aol Ocan rose on a procedural point demanding respect for resolutions made by parliament. She questioned why the Executive had defied parliament on the matter.
Rubaga North MP Moses Kasibante said that actions by Cabinet, Ministry of Education and NCDC were belittling parliament.
Lwemiyaga County MP Theodore Ssekikubo said that each arm of government should respect each other. He said that it was sad for parliament resolutions to be undermined by public servants.
Kira Municipality MP Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda questioned why the Minister of Education chose not to address parliament on the matter. Nganda suggested that the Minister is sent to Parliament’s disciplinary committee for contempt of parliament.
Kadaga said that parliament had legitimate questions that the Minister of Education must provide answers to on Tuesday next week.
The Prime Minister Dr Ruhakana Ruganda appealed for mutual respect saying that what Cabinet and Parliament were doing was complimentary. He committed that the Executive would make a response on the revised curriculum before Parliament.
However, his call for mutual response was rubbished by Ocan saying that he had no moral authority to demand for respect yet the Executive does not respect Parliament.
Budadiri West MP Nathan Nandala Mafabi also wondered why Cabinet could go-ahead to implement a policy for which parliament is responsible for appropriating money.
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This shows the good reasons why the first lady should never have been appointed a minister in the first instance.
Any review or questioning of her performance in her current role as minister of education is easily perceived as being done with sinister intentions by her husband’s political enemies.
Hopefully the Constitution can be amended prohibiting of immediate family members working concurrently for government.
As in this instance the Hon Janet Museveni Kataha conveniently switches roles as first lady and minister trying to duck the hard questioning. And with a weak parliament she could easily get away with no accountability…and vultures masquerading as her loyal followers will do irreparable damage the ministry.
It is amazing that when some individuals succeed in going to Parliament they think the rest of the citizens are useless. As far as the issue of the new curriculum is concerned, the MPs are taking wrong decisions but they don’t want to believe it, because they think they are the only knowledgeable beings. They need to respect what the technocrats tell them. Why do they assume that they know everything.
One thing we need to understand is that being an MP you are not a custodian of knowledge. This time what MPs are trying to do in my view it lacks objectivity. I am not sure whether they have had time to go through the said curriculum. Sincerely the said curriculum should have taken route as early as yesterday. It is the best of it. I am requesting our MPs to spare some time and analyse the said curriculum. I am sure if they have Uganda at heart as they always claim they won’t halt such curriculum
MPs decisions in Uganda does not work.