Primary Education in Uganda - A Policy Analysis Essay -- A Level Essays

Primary Education in Uganda - A Policy Analysis Over the past five years, Uganda’s education system has proved both effective and successful. Although in the process of further development, it has nonetheless served as a model for many developing African countries. The Ugandan government, with President Yoweri Museveni at its forefront, has determined primary education to be one of the major channels toward poverty eradication and as a vital resource for economic and social development. The Ugandan government has made a national commitment to eradicate illiteracy and educate its citizens through the 1997 initiative, Universal Primary Education (UPE). All levels of government, the private sector, grass-root organizations, local and international non-governmental organizations (NGO’s), community and church leaders, international aid agencies, and international governments have been major players in Uganda’s universal primary education policy and continue to structure the policy in ways to benefit Ugandans, whi le simultaneously protecting their own interests. Unfortunately with such an enormous national commitment and the underlying interests of the many contributors, there were many shortages in the realistic policy as experienced by Ugandans. I argue that these shortages, which ultimately affect the quality of primary education, can be linked to inadequacies in the deliberations, monitoring, evaluation, and feedback of Ugandan education policy; once these areas are reformed, a more comprehensive education system can be re-established. Rapid educational expansion has taken place in Uganda since its independence in 1962. Following independence, education was regarded as a means through which individuals could advance in society... ...ducation Network Newsletter No.4: United Kingdom www.eenet.org.uk/newsletters/new4/p7.shtml 11. Robert, Kakooza. â€Å"Education in Uganda.† 21st Century Schoolhouse Online. www.21cs.org/magazine/uganeduc.htm 12. Short, Claire. â€Å"Claire Short Announces  £67 Million for Education in Uganda.† UK Department of International Development Press Release 54/98 – 10/1998 www.dfid.gov.uk/PressRelease/files/pr1oct.htm 13. Teskey, Graham and Richard Hooper. â€Å"Uganda Education Strategies Investment Programme: Case Study,† Department for International Development: Nairobi, 8/1999 14. Three Years After Jomtien: EFA in the Eastern and Southern Africa Region. Ed. Wright, C. and Rangacher Govinda. UNESCO: International Institute for Educational Planning: Paris, 1994 15. â€Å"Uganda – Education.† http://www.sas.upenn.edu/African_Studies/NEH/u-edu.htmlAppendix Primary Education in Uganda - A Policy Analysis Essay -- A Level Essays Primary Education in Uganda - A Policy Analysis Over the past five years, Uganda’s education system has proved both effective and successful. Although in the process of further development, it has nonetheless served as a model for many developing African countries. The Ugandan government, with President Yoweri Museveni at its forefront, has determined primary education to be one of the major channels toward poverty eradication and as a vital resource for economic and social development. The Ugandan government has made a national commitment to eradicate illiteracy and educate its citizens through the 1997 initiative, Universal Primary Education (UPE). All levels of government, the private sector, grass-root organizations, local and international non-governmental organizations (NGO’s), community and church leaders, international aid agencies, and international governments have been major players in Uganda’s universal primary education policy and continue to structure the policy in ways to benefit Ugandans, whi le simultaneously protecting their own interests. Unfortunately with such an enormous national commitment and the underlying interests of the many contributors, there were many shortages in the realistic policy as experienced by Ugandans. I argue that these shortages, which ultimately affect the quality of primary education, can be linked to inadequacies in the deliberations, monitoring, evaluation, and feedback of Ugandan education policy; once these areas are reformed, a more comprehensive education system can be re-established. Rapid educational expansion has taken place in Uganda since its independence in 1962. Following independence, education was regarded as a means through which individuals could advance in society... ...ducation Network Newsletter No.4: United Kingdom www.eenet.org.uk/newsletters/new4/p7.shtml 11. Robert, Kakooza. â€Å"Education in Uganda.† 21st Century Schoolhouse Online. www.21cs.org/magazine/uganeduc.htm 12. Short, Claire. â€Å"Claire Short Announces  £67 Million for Education in Uganda.† UK Department of International Development Press Release 54/98 – 10/1998 www.dfid.gov.uk/PressRelease/files/pr1oct.htm 13. Teskey, Graham and Richard Hooper. â€Å"Uganda Education Strategies Investment Programme: Case Study,† Department for International Development: Nairobi, 8/1999 14. Three Years After Jomtien: EFA in the Eastern and Southern Africa Region. Ed. Wright, C. and Rangacher Govinda. UNESCO: International Institute for Educational Planning: Paris, 1994 15. â€Å"Uganda – Education.† http://www.sas.upenn.edu/African_Studies/NEH/u-edu.htmlAppendix