Teach ethics, university dons urged

The Assistant Secretary General for the Uganda National Commission for UNESCO, Ms Rosie Agoi has urged University lecturers in the country to teach ethics and integrity to the students to enable them leave university when they are morally upright as one way of fighting corruption.

“If we are thinking about having the vision for this country, then we must start by building ethics and integrity right from schools and especially in our universities. Let us not think about making first class degrees only when the students who are passed out with such degrees do not have any ethics and integrity,” said Ms Agoi.

Ms Agoi was one of the guest speakers and presenters at the on-going curriculum review for the Bachelor of Science in Education Degree programmes for Busitema University. “Corruption has totally eaten up the moral fibre in our society. Even in our schools now the politics has been tainted by bribery. In Primary Schools, pupils aspiring for leadership bribe their colleagues with sweets while in Secondary and universities, cash and drinks are used.

Ms Agoi decried the poor Ugandan education system which she said does not address core issues such as life-skills in society.
She appealed to the universities in the country to re-orientate the curriculum to address sustainable development for a positive social transformation of society.

“As lecturers, you also need to know your students beyond lecturing and giving course works. You should, for instance, know the origins, the culture and the social needs of your students to enable you understand the student better,” she advised.
The tough speaking Agoi also urged the dons to inculcate moral aspects, promote inter-cultural diversities and to avoid promoting social and cultural divides amongst the students.

Eroded morals
“Social and cultural divides make some ethnic groups undermine and overlook others and this, therefore, creates chaos,” she said. The Academic Registrar, Busitema University, Mr Elisha Obella also decried the eroded moral fibre in society today and advised the curriculum review team and dons to take into consideration the ethical and moral aspects.

Mr. Obella told Daily Monitor that the review of the curriculum was being carried out to identify gaps in the current Bachelor of Science in Education programme and to incorporate other relevant courses.

Other objectives of the review include; supporting professional practices, appropriate implementation and attainment of the highest quality of science education as a basis for social and economic transformation and sustainable future and bridging the gap between educational institutions, industry and the community.

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