'Education is causing poverty, unemployment'

L-R: Mr John Opuda Asibo, the executive director National Council for Higher Education; Mr Jacques Zeelen, the UNESCO chairperson lifelong learning for youth and work at Gulu University and Mr George Ladaah Openguru, the vice chancellor Gulu University at Esella Country home in Najeera on November 20, 2017. PHOTO BY STEPHEN OTAGE

Education experts have attributed the growing poverty and joblessness in the country to the outdated educational curriculum which is preparing Ugandans for none existent jobs.

Speaking at a stakeholders' conference on Monday, Prof Jacques Zeelen, the UNESCO chairperson lifelong learning for youth and work at Gulu University said the marathon education system prepares Ugandans to study from pre-primary school to University without acquiring any skill in between the studies and those who drop out before reaching University, do not bother to acquire a skill for available jobs so that they can later go back to school.

“There is a mismatch between the education system and the labour market. Graduates come out very knowable about jobs but they cannot combine the skills and knowledge to execute tasks,” he said explaining that this is the reason employers prefer recruiting diploma and certificate holders because of their ability to execute tasks.

According to Prof George Ladaah Openguru, the vice chancellor Gulu University, they want to demystify the belief that vocational education is for academic failures because in everyday life, the best paying jobs are those with skills acquired from vocational schools but they are despised because they are thought to reserve for the intellectually challenged.
“Look at road construction and construction generally, why do you think Chinese porters are working in those construction sites as if our own Ugandans cannot perform those jobs?” he asked saying even the government emphasis on skilling Ugandans is based on an old system instead of the new one which provides learners with lifelong opportunities that encourage them to keep upgrading themselves.

Professor John Asibo, the executive director National Council for Higher education who presided over the opening ceremony, said he is happy Ugandans have started discussing such small but important topics which have for long been neglected and ignored saying countries like China recognized their importance and invested in them which has enabled them get where they are today.

“You do not need to study up to University to become successful. You can acquire a skill which you can use to join University later and you still graduate and this is why Americans have the mature age University entry system,” he said citing examples of carpenters whom he said can only do such a job for few years and moves on to another profession.