Govt asked to consider autistic learners in new curriculum
This picture taken in 2015 shows Ms Dorothy Nambi interacting with children at her centre for autistic children in Ntinda, a Kampala surburb. Austic children are slow learners. PHOTO | FILE
What you need to know:
- Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a condition related to a brain defect that impacts on how a person perceives and socialises with others. Some of its symptoms include repetitive behavior, difficulty in communication and interacting with others and aggressiveness.
As Uganda joined the rest of the world to commemorate Autism Awareness Day on Sunday, the government was urged to consider learners while reviewing the curriculum.
Ms Esther Kyozira, the chief executive officer of the National Union of Disabled Persons of Uganda, said: “We feel that the management of autism is where the gap is. We want the government to come out strongly in the areas of education, especially in the curriculum development, which is currently being undertaken by the National Curriculum Development Centre (NCDC).”
While addressing journalists in Kampala yesterday, Ms Kyozira added: “Special Needs Department should think reflectively about persons with autism that require special attention because they cannot benefit from the current curriculum being rolled out.”
In 2020, the NCDC revised the curriculum for lower secondary to make it more practical.
The centre is currently reviewing the curriculum for A-Level and its implementation is expected to commence in 2025.
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a condition related to a brain defect that impacts on how a person perceives and socialises with others. Some of its symptoms include repetitive behavior, difficulty in communication and interacting with others and aggressiveness.
The Germany Ambassador to Uganda, Mr Matthias Schaure, said: “Every person deserves a better world, which is part of the second gospel of Jesus.
According to the Uganda National Bureau of Statistics (Ubos), about 88 out of every 10,000 people in Uganda are living with autism. The central region has the highest number of autistic people at 106,749, followed by eastern region, with 101,334 cases while the north , with 80,705 has the lowest number of cases.
NCDC responds
The Spokesperson of the NCDC, Mr Deo Bwambale, said: “NCDC ensures that the design, development, and implementation of all curricula takes into consideration the unique needs of learners with special needs.’’
Meanwhile, Mr Herbert Luzinda, a parent of a child living with autism from Kyanja, a Kampala suburb, urged his fellow parents and the community to desist from discriminating against children living with autism.
