Prof Mpezamihigo warns government against scrapping A-Level
KIU Vice Chancellor Prof Muhammed Mpezamihigo with Minister Mary Karolo Okurut at the 9th Uganda vice chancellor's forum at KIU on Friday. Photo by Eve Muganga.
What you need to know:
The State Minister for General Duties in the Office of Prime Minister, Hon Mary Karoro Okurut, commended vice chancellors for working together for the good of the education sector.
The Kampala International University (KIU) Vice Chancellor Prof Muhammad Mpezamihigo has warned the government against scrapping the two-year Advanced Level secondary education from Uganda’s education system.
He gave the warning on Friday at KIU main campus in Kasanga during the 9th Uganda Vice Chancellors’ annual conference aimed at deliberating key issues that affect higher education.
“Definitely government shouldn’t gamble with scrapping A level, we may do this thinking we are improving our education system yet we can find ourselves in big trouble. Expunging A level out of education system will require that all education stakeholders do a comprehensive analysis while paying attention to what is happening in the region and globally," Prof Mpezamihigo said.
“We are now in the era of technology, we need to know when we should start recognising knowledge that is not formal. In some countries that is very important. So it’s not just scrapping A level, but ask ourselves about O-Level, primary and then curriculum at university level," he added.
However, according to Prof A.B. K. Kasozi, the former National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) executive director, A-Level should be scrapped.
"A level is stupid and I repeat it’s stupid, it must be scrapped. There is a massive wastage of time to students through failures to pass examinations in P7, S4 and after the unnecessary two years of Advanced Level. As a result, higher education gets fewer numbers. The alarming wastage of time at lower levels affects tertiary enrolment,” Prof Kasozi said.
The State Minister for General Duties in the Office of Prime Minister, Hon Mary Karoro Okurut, commended vice chancellors for working together for the good of the education sector.
“We are highly impressed about the unity that exists among private universities and government universities. It is very impressive because you can't do much when fighting each other. The fact that you support each other, work together and don't see each other as competitors, but as people in the same service sector is really a very good sign for education in Uganda,” Minister Okurut said.
