MPs want review of Uganda's education system

The Uganda parliamentary Forum on Quality Education has called for a review of Uganda’s education system if the country is to realise its development potential and targets.

Speaking to Nile Post, the chair of the forum Margaret Rwabashaija explained that the initial Education White Paper needs to be revised lest learners are denied the platform to acquire life sustaining skills.

The White Paper was launched in 1992 and for more than 20 years has guided Uganda's education needs.

But according to Rwabashaija, most schools have deviated from the white paper which has also become irrelevant in some aspects.

Rwabashaija said this has greatly increased the number of graduates each passing year but with no skills at all.

"We now want a policy to review this education white paper urgently," she said.

Rwabashaija argued that the country's job market is too small to contain the over 400,000 graduates said to be graduating from higher institutions of learning each year.

She called upon the ministry of Education to put more emphasis on vocational education which equips learners with skills to create their own jobs.

"We need to be clear about what stage one considers to enrol for vocational education. This is the only way the problem will be tackled," she argued.

Pius Wakabi, the MP for Kiryandongo said government needs to consider equipping private vocational institutes with neecesaey tools and equipment.

While government has committed to establish at least one vocational institute per district, so far not much has been done to realise this goal.