Insights into Uganda’s Current Education System

1. Insights into Uganda’s Current Education System Mary Goretti Nakabugo Mary Immaculate College, University of Limerick, Ireland goretti.nakabugo@mic.ul.ie / gnakabugo@yahoo.co.uk Presentation to the Centre for Global Development through Education - Ireland April 2009

2. Presentation Content 1. Some facts about Uganda 2. Synopsis of the school system 3. Learners in the system 4. Teachers in the system 5. Teacher Education (Primary) 6. Teacher Education (Post Primary)

3. Uganda Colonial History: Independence from UK 9 Oct 1962 Population: 32 million people (expected to double in 20 yrs) Age structure: 0-14years (50%); 15-64 years (49.9%); 65 years ++ (2.1%) (high dependency rate) Urbanisation: 13% of the total population – most schs rural Life expectancy: Total population: 52.72 years; Male: 51.66 years; Female: 53.81 years Total fertility rate: 6.77 children born/woman Ethnic groups: Several: Baganda 16.9%; Banyankole 9.5%; Basoga 8.4%; Bakiga 6.9%; Iteso 6.4%l Langi 6.1%; Acholi 4.7%; Bagisu 4.6%; Lugbara 4.2%; Bunyoro 2.7%; other 29.6% Religions: Catholic 41.9%; Protestant 42% (Anglican 35.9%, Pentecostal 4.6; Seventh Day Adventist 1.5%); Muslim 12.1%; other 3.1%, none 0.9%) [religious bodies’ great influence on education] Languages: English is the official language, Luganda widely spoken, there ther are 33++ native languages and dialects spoken by the different ethnic groups [mother tongue policy] Literacy: age 15++ can read and write: Total population (66.8%); male (76.8%); female (57.7%) Labour force:Agriculture (82%); Industry (5%); Services 13%) – Burden of sustaining the social infrastructure, including education – dependence on external funding

4. Uganda’s Education System

5. Primary Schools by Ownership (MoE&S statistical abstracts, 2007)

6. Primary schools by founding body

7. Primary Schools by location

8. Learners in the prim ed. sector

9. Trends in Quality indicators of primary education - 2000 to 2005

10. Teachers in the prim. Ed. sector • In total 152,086 teachers • The majority are male: 92,345 (60.7%) and 59,741 (39.3%) female teachers • With 7,537,971 learners in the system, the teacher-pupil ratio is approximately 1:50 (including untrained teachers in the system)

11. Primary teachers by qualification

12. The primary sch. curriculum • The Thematic Curriculum has been developed for P.1 to P.3. Focus is on improving pupils' performance levels in literacy, numeracy and life skills. • The policy recommends the use of local language as a medium of Instruction and that English be taught as a subject. • For P.4 to P.7, the local language selected by the school authority is taught as a subject. • The medium of Instruction Is English language. • Subjects: English, Kiswahili (optional) Local Languages (optional) Agriculture and Integrated Production Skills, Social Studies, Religious Studies, Mathematics; Integrated Sciences Information Communication Technology, Performing Arts and Physical Education(PAPE) However, the PLE focuses on English, Mathematics, Science & Social Studies, and this tends to drive what is taught and assessed in schools

13. Secondary Schools by ownership

14. Secondary schools by founding body

15. Some more facts about secondary education • Total learners (954,328) • Male (517,254) • Female (437,074) • Total Teachers (50,767) • Male (39,520) • Female (11,247) • Teacher-student ration (1:19) – superficially • Minimum qualification • A-Level + 2-year diploma in education from NTC (O-Level trs) • A-Level + 3-year university training (A-Level trs)

16. Secondary teachers by educ. level

17. Secondary school curriculum • Core-subjects: English, Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Geography, History. • Other subjects: literature In English, Religious Education, Music, Art, Agriculture, Technical Drawing, Wood work, Metal work, Business Education, Home Economics, Clothing and Textiles, Food and Nutrition. • Apart from the core subjects, schools are given opportunity to identify other subjects that they can handle In terms of human resources, Infrastructure and instructional materials.

18. Teacher Education Primary: 47 PTCs in total (2 private, 45, Govt) (Entry is O-Level, pass MTC, Eng & 2 science subjects) Secondary: 6 NTCs (1 Private, 5 public) for those who do not qualify for university teacher training after A-Level 28 Universities (5 public, 23 private)

19. 2-year PTC Curriculum • General Education (academic knowledge; integrated production skills; communication skills) • Professional Education [foundations of education and School Practice – lasting 12 weeks of supervised teaching and school experience • Community service i.e. evidence of engagement in community activities during SP Note: With the introduction of the thematic curriculum in primary education, a new PTC curriculum is being piloted…

20. 3-year Secondary Tr. Training • Content of 2 teaching subjects (Arts or Sciences) • FED (comparative education, sociology, philosophy, economics, history of Educ, Educ Admin… • Curriculum, Teaching & Media • Educational Psychology • School Practice lasting 16 weeks (8 in year 2 & 8 in year 3)

21. Conclusion • Teachers of different qualifications would have different needs & impact – difficult to ensure standardised quality • Schools in different locations, majority in rural areas – the most remote ones hardly attract qualified teachers • Founding body & ownership (implications e.g. teacher motivation and professionalism) • The influence of exams in the system is massive • Any intervention would need to consider these realities e.g. many issues to consider while forming research groups