MBARARA – The Ministry of Education and Sports has warned universities and other tertiary Institutions to refrain from just pumping students with the knowledge to pass exams but rather to do holistic education.
Dr. Kedrace Turyagyenda, the Director Education Standards in the Ministry of Education while officiating at the closure of the Inter-University debate championship held at Bishop Stuart University in Mbarara on Wednesday afternoon stated,
“There are schools that have totally neglected the critical parts of education system, that is the head, heart and the skills, they only concentrate on the head pumping pupils and students with exams, tests, notes just to pass exams. These are responsible for the poor quality of young generation in terms of employable skills, attitude and values,” said Dr Turyagyenda.
She added that this is why you employ first-class degree holders and those with better grades, and you doubt whether they went to school or not. They are corrupt, can’t deliver simply because other aspects of education like values, attitude and skills.
“The world today does not need certificates, first-class degrees but values, attitude, skills and tolerance. That’s why as the ministry we are moving to crack down on those schools that have neglected other aspects of education and concentrated on passing exams alone,”Dr Turyagyenda added.
She warned such schools risk closure if found not working to the holistic development of the children of Uganda.
Fagil Musa Mandy Former UNEB Chairman, now an Education Consultant and the patron of Uganda Dialogue Arena that organized the competition said that while the young remain better placed to transform and revolutionalise Uganda and Africa in general but have not been given space to participate in issues that can affect this.
“Let the youth participate in determining future Uganda and Africa we want, in schools pupils and students are just confined in classes, when they get tired lying on benches, they are being pumped. At university level students are lectured just to pass exams, “said Mr Mandy.
He added that the challenge the young generation now faces to transform and revolutinalise Uganda and Africa is lack of skills, values, attitude, mental status and knowledge.
Over 200 students from 21 Universities in Uganda participated in this 5th National Inter-University Creative Arts Expo and Debate championship organized under the theme ‘Governance and leadership in Africa, the role of meaningful participation of young people that was won by Cavendish University, Uganda.
Bishop Stuart University Vice-Chancellor, Prof.Mauda Kamatenesi said debates are helpful in critical thinking and articulating issues than resorting to violence but appealed to Uganda Dialogue arena to always organize debates on topical issues to enable the country achieve sustainable development.
