Govt to spend shs24b on retraining teachers

Dr John Chrysostom Muyingo (C), speaks to Bishop of Luweero Diocese Evans Mukasa Kisseka (L) at a recent function in Bamunanika Sub-county, Luweero District. PHOTO BY DAN WANDERA

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Required. The retraining seeks to equip teachers with components of vocational skills which shall be required in the new

Luweero:

Government will spend Shs24b across the country in an exercise that seeks to retrain teachers and align them to the new curriculum, with a vocational component, according to the minister of Education.

State minister for Higher Education, Dr John Chrysostom Muyingo, said the retooling exercise will commence in 2016 ahead of the issuance of a new curriculum in 2017.

He said the new curriculum will ensure teachers adjust to a new government policy where learners must be equipped with vocational and life skills on top of the theoretical academic programmes at different levels of the academic strata.

“We believe Shs24b will enable the Ministry of Education to take our teachers back to class to get skills on how to handle learners in a curriculum which has a vocational component,” Dr Muyingo told Daily Monitor on Wednesday.

He said the Ministry of Education had prepared a blueprint detailing how the retooling would be done, for Cabinet and Parliament approval.

According to Dr Muyingo, schools should not wait for the final roll out exercise of the “vocationalised curriculum” before they start imparting vocational and life skills.

“The attitude of some of the parents and students in regard to vocational education must change. We need a positive attitude to ensure skills development for the students,” Dr Muyingo told parents of Joy Nursery and Primary School Kakoni in Zirobwe Sub-county, Luweero District during the school’s open day on Wednesday.

According to the minister, reading subjects will now reduce from the original 43 to eight learning areas.

The move would also help to produce students who are creative, self-motivated and equipped with life skills.

“We are looking at a future generation which is productive. Government wants to avoid situations where graduates search for jobs instead of creating their own jobs

should not move on streets looking for jobs in offices but should be able to create jobs through self-employment,” Dr Muyingo said.

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Reduced subjects. According to the minister, reading subjects will now reduce from the original 43 to eight learning areas.
Creative students. The move would also help to produce students who are creative, self-motivated and equipped with life skills.
Job creation. Government wants to avoid situations where graduates search for jobs instead of creating their own.