The Forum for Democratic Change (FDC), presidential candidate, Patrick Oboi Amuriat has lashed at NRM government for failure to improve education sector in Uganda for the last 34 years in power.
He said the government should have given education, the first priority because it is the main pillar of securing the country's future.
He made the remarks after visiting St. Mary's Primary School Bunjakko, the only primary school in Buwama rural sub county.
In order to improve the quality of education in Uganda, Amuriat promised that if given the mantle of leadership in the forthcoming elections, he will allocate the education budget equally to all students in the country, irrespective of their performance and the schools they attend.
"We shall provide full funding for all students eligible to and enrolled in technical and skills education in the country. There shall be a technical and vocational skills training college in every district," he said.
Amuriat noted that he will establish centres of excellence where bright talent can be groomed and profiled for the future.
He said that he will also establish an internship and apprenticeship programme to train youth for one or two years in a working environment.
He promised to prioritise funding for research in universities and also strengthen school management through restating Parents Teachers Associations.
"We shall establish twenty-one (21) sub-regional centres of excellence in special needs education to address the issues of capacity in infrastructure, access, knowledge, and skills. Refurbish and modernise community libraries that have so far been neglected,"he said.
Amuriat promised that the starting salary for a primary and secondary school teacher will be Shs 800,000 and Shs 1,200,000, respectively.
