Educationists back proposed review of A-Level curriculum

A cross-section of educationists have welcomed a proposal by the National Curriculum Development Centre (NCDC) to review the current curriculum for A-Level.
According to NCDC’s proposed curriculum, every A-Level student should offer two principal essential subjects in line with his or her future career.
In addition, General Paper should be a principal and a compulsory subject composed of basic skills in Information Communication Technology (ICT), research, entrepreneurship, health education and mathematics.

Former Uganda National Examination Board chairperson Fagil Mandy said the review should have been done much earlier because the country needs a curriculum that can mold more dynamic leaners with practical skills and positive attitude towards work.
“We should have done it earlier because we want institutions of learning to produce graduates who are all-round and more skilled than what we are producing today. Most students are not practical at all,” Mr Mandy said.

 Current labour productivity stands at only 38 percent.
Dr Umar Kakumba, the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic Affairs) at Makerere University, said reviewing the curriculum is a standard that applies across all education institutions.
Dr Kakumba revealed that Makerere University, for example, reviews its curricular after every five to seven years as required by the National Council for Higher Education.
 The director of studies at St Peters Secondary School Nsambya, Kampala, Mr Joel Mugisha, welcomed the proposal.
“If it is focusing on vocational training, then that is perfect because that is where the world of work is leading us to, in addition to soft skills such as communication skills that are needed in the world of work,” Mr Mugisha said.

The head teacher of Old Kampala Secondary School, Mr James Muloni, said since the O-Level curriculum is competent-based, it is important that learners continue with the same system at A-Level.
Mr Hasadu Kirabira, the chairperson of the National Private Educational Institutions Association, welcomes the proposal.
“It is a good curriculum that will help the country catch up with the rest of the world but the challenge is to have it implemented. It will require a lot of resources and commitment from government to help schools to implement it,” he said.
The Commissioner for Secondary Education Standards, Mr Kule Baritazale, said the curriculum that emphasises practical skills will enable school drop out to use acquired skills to create jobs.

While officiating at the opening of the National Stakeholders Consultative workshop for the A-Level curriculum in Kira, Wakiso District yesterday, the State Minister of Education and Sports in-charge of primary education, Dr Joyce Moriku Kaducu, said as stated in Vision 2040, government has put emphasis on provision of education and revising curriculum, assessment, exanimation and instruction methods so that the changes are responsive to the market demands.
“The whole purpose is to ensure that the curriculum helps to move this country to a level where youth will be competitive and make a positive contribution to the nation,” she said.

Background

The A-Level curriculum
The proposed review of the A-Level curriculum was informed by the preliminary findings of recent national study that was conducted by NCDC to establish the gaps in Uganda’s A-Level curriculum in relation to the needs and aspiration of society so that the country is guided on the next step.
The current A-Level curriculum was born out of the De Bunsen Education Committee appointed by Sir Andrew Cohen in 1952.
 The curriculum has a menu of 34 principal subjects and three subsidiaries. 
According to the Ministry of Education and Sports Circular Number 8 of 2011, an A-Level student is required to offer not more than three principal subjects, General Paper, and two subsidiaries for each candidate.