Honourable Hellen Auma Wandera Woman Member of Parliament for Busia District, the youngest MP in Uganda has urged the government through the Ministry of Education and Sports and the National Curriculum Development Centre to revise the new curriculum to fit the student’s needs.
Auma while speaking at the St. Peter’s SS Naalya (SPENA) Silver Jubilee celebrations launch held at the school’s premises in Naalya, a Kampala suburb, asked the concerned authorities to think of designing the new curriculum that cuts across all learning levels including O’ and A’ levels and as well ensure equal distribution to all government schools all-over the country.
Auma expressed the need for the new curriculum to be revised since it doesn’t encompass some levels of learning.
“There’s need for the adjustment of the new curriculum so as to be fully adopted by both teachers and the learners. The new curriculum for example doesn’t cover A’ level which is unfortunate because, how do you expect a student to study using a certain curriculum and eventually find a different one at A ‘level after O’ level? I think that gap needs to be looked into as well as ensuring robust training of teachers to really understand the curriculum to the dot.
There is also a need to equip teachers and learners with books among other learning materials so as to effectively exhaust the new curriculum.”
Auma believes the new curriculum will go a long way in not only enhancing and promoting students’ academic skills but as well fostering their talents and political ambitions among others.
“I believe the new curriculum will help shape the future of our country. I want you to take me as an example, I got my 1st vision to contest for the parliamentary seat from the great minds at SPENA in 2014 and here I am now, leading my people of Busia. I must also inform you that this school has grown into a beacon of hope in promoting and producing the best excellent leaders among other professionals.”
On balancing academics with sports, Auma recalled her sports participation, a thing that has thus seen her represent Uganda at different levels including at the Inter Parliamentary games.
“I brought six gold medals from last year’s Inter-parliamentary sports held in Rwanda and this year, we will be in Tanzania and I want to assure you, I will be doubling (medals) what I got last year and all thanks to this institution that nurtured not only my academic excellence but the talent front as well, a reason as to why I am always winning, while I represent Uganda at different tournaments.
Sometimes it’s not what you studied that puts food on your table, it takes a whole lot more than that, I am an example to this, I did Literature, Economics and Divinity combination at my A ‘level but I am doing things way different from what I studied.”
Mr. Clement Kavutse Muhire, one of the Directors at SPENA applauded government’s support towards private schools including tax waivers at SPENA for example.
Muhire outlined the possible impacts of the new curriculum including presenting the brighter side to fostering collaboration in learners to embracing new technologies which eventually puts them at higher chances to employment and job creation processes among others.
According to Muhire, SPENA will be marking 25 years of excellence in the education industry with ground celebrations in November 16, 2024 since its establishment way back in 1998. The school was founded in 1994 but in 98, the first class registered and sat students for Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB) at Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE) level.
