Education Ministry seeks time on curriculum report

Members of Parliament were left disappointed when the Ministry of Education sought for more time to present a statement on the new lower secondary school curriculum.

The Ministry was due to present a statement on the continued roll out of the lower secondary school curriculum contrary to the parliamentary resolution of Tuesday, 04 February 2020 that halted its review and roll out pending further consultation and preparation of key stakeholders.

Parliament halted the plan to roll out the curriculum giving the Ministry of Education a week to present the statement. However, the Minister of State for Primary Education, Hon Rosemary Sseninde requested that House that the statement is presented on Thursday,  20 February 2020 citing the need to have a comprehensive report that covers all concerns raised by the MPs.

“We shall be ready to respond in detail to all the matters raised by the Members of Parliaments on the new curriculum,” she said.

Some MPs however, insisted that the Minister should go ahead and present the report.

The Opposition Chief Whip, Hon. Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda said that, “according to the Rules of Procedure, you are supposed to be here to respond to all matters and the Speaker directed you to come back today with a response”.

Hon. Henry Kibalya (NRM, Bugabula South) said that the school term had commenced with no curriculum and therefore, the report needed to be handled with urgency.

“The Ministry of Education has a tendency to delay responses to important issues as a delay tactic; we need answers to this issue now,” Kibalya added.

The Speaker, Rebecca Kadaga said that no further time will be granted to the ministry after Thursday.

On 04 February 2020, Sseninde said that there were no plans by the executive to halt the implementation of the new education curriculum.  Sseninde argues that the current curriculum was developed in the 1960s and that there was need to change it .