PTC graduates ask gov’t to rethink teacher education in wake of Covid-19

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Fresh graduates from Primary Teachers’ Colleges-PTCs have asked the Ministry of Education to rethink teacher education in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.

They argue that they are not fully equipped to handle the teaching-learning process during and after COVID-19.

Uganda closed all education facilities to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 forcing many schools to adapt to digital platforms to engage their learners.

Felix Okello, the best candidate in the recently released 2019 Grade III examinations says that when he left Nakaseke PTC last yea,r he thought of getting employed immediately but following the closure of schools, he is still depending on his parents for survival.

Okello says that he misses applying the skills and knowledge he acquired in the last two years since he can’t teach.

He argues that in the light of the covid-19 outbreak, there is a need to review the teacher curriculum to make it relevant, appropriate, and responsive to prevailing and future circumstances.

Zahara Nahyuha a fresh teacher from Kibuli Core PTC says that with the new education demands, the policy framers should adapt to new and advanced approaches of teaching.

Nahyuha, who was the best female in the 2019 examinations, notes that the teaching-learning process in Uganda is centered on the classroom yet there are many other modes like home-schooling and e-learning which are not given attention or taught at the college.

Humphrey Okello, the principal Bulera Primary Teachers’ College, notes that with schools, parents, and entrepreneurs tapping into learning approaches, using various platforms to ensure continued learning, there are challenges that are limiting the application of the new approaches.

“We were caught off guard. We cannot reverse that but we have a chance to learn and move forward as the students (teachers) are saying. But we need a better plan and good well-thought policies. Short of that we will just fail and stay with our traditional approaches,” says Okello.

Okello further notes that after the development of policies, he ministry will have to retool the teachers starting with those already in service and also equip the colleges.

Dr Jane Egau Okou, the Director for Higher Technical Vocational Education and Training admits that teaching approaches in the current teacher training curricula do not meet some demands.

According to the 2019 Grade III examinations results released on Friday, out of the 9,493 students who sat for the examinations, 39 obtained distinctions; 7,139 got credits while 213 recorded a pass. A total of 1635 which is 17.22 percent failed the examination with a chance to repeat and 467 were upgraded.

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URN