All levels of our education system will continue teaching religious studies... The government is aware of the place of religion in Ugandan communities - says the Ugandan government.
President Museveni rapping
Of late, a public debate has been raging over reports that cabinet had debated the banning of teaching religious studies in schools and colleges. The cabinet early this year debated the proposal to stop funding the teaching of religious studies. Among other things, some members of the cabinet argued that it was not appropriate for the government to allow the continuous teaching of religious education in schools when Uganda is a secular state. These cabinet members argued that religious teachings be left to for the home and church, given that the government could not fund teaching of all religions.
Behind this concern, the government was also concerned that faith-based schools resisted recruitment of head teachers who were not of their faiths, which suffocates government efforts in improving education in the country.
In Uganda, the majority of the most powerful government aided schools like Kibuuli Senior Secondary, Kisubi College, Namagunga Girls, Nabisunsa Girls, St. Henry's Kitovu and Nyakasura School among others were founded by religious institutions which include; Muslims, the Catholic Church and the Church of Uganda.
The idea from cabinet to discontinue the teaching of religious studies in schools and colleges has received a lot of criticism from religious groups, the opposition and some sections of the public. The major reason advanced by such people is that banning religious studies in schools will lead to moral degeneration in the country.
Namirembe Christian Fellowship leader, Pastor Simeon Kayiwa says banning religious studies would drag the country into immorality.
"Religious education in schools helps to build a God- fearing nation," Pastor Kayiwa told journalists recently. "Any person who suggests that it should be removed from the syllabus, may plunge this country into immoral dangers," Kayiwa adds.
Pastor Kayiwa attributed dishonest acts, such as corruption and embezzlement among others, to lack of God-fearing hearts.
The remarks followed those of Bishop Samuel Balagadde Ssekadde, the Bishop of Namirembe Diocese, who said those pushing for the abolition of Religious Education should be investigated. Bishop Ssekadde wondered the kind of children Uganda would produce if they are not taught religious values in schools.
The immense criticism forced the government to come out and state that although the cabinet had hotly debated the issue, the government did not adopt any proposal to ban teaching of religious studies in schools.
On May 5th, the minister of State for Ethics and Integrity, Dr. James Nsaba Buturo told journalists at the Media Centre in Kampala, that the proposal was never endorsed by the Cabinet.
"Some members in Cabinet raised this matter but after debate, it was rejected and all levels of our education system will continue teaching religious studies," Buturo said. The minister said religion was important for moral development in schools which is good for promoting stability in the country.
"The Government wishes to disassociate itself from the reports. The government is aware that the place of religion and its teaching in Ugandan educational institutions is the bedrock of our stability and harmony among communities," Buturo said.
The Ministry of Education Permanent Secretary Xavier Lubanga in a statement to journalists on May 1st said that Christian and Islamic religious studies are still taught at primary, secondary and teacher education levels. He says that religious studies teachers are still on the government payroll and not about to be removed.
In Uganda the Christian Religious Education (CRE) and Islamic Religious Education (IRE) are the only two religious subjects taught in government schools depending on the founding body - Christians, Muslims or the government (where both can be taught).
According to the Uganda population census of 2002, Christians made up about 84% of Uganda's population. The Catholic Church has the largest number of adherents (41.9%), followed by the Anglican Church of Uganda (35.9%). Muslims represent 12% of the population.
Other religions include traditional religions (1%) and 'Other Non-Christians,' including Hindus and Judaism at 0.7%.
If the figures are added it shows that by 2002, 96% of the people in Uganda were either Muslims or Christians. With the opening of the political space to allow for elections only 60% can vote out a government of President Yoweri Museveni incase he went against their wishes (banning religious studies in schools).
Besides, the different religious groups, especially Muslims, Catholics and the Church of Uganda, have strong networks up to the parish level with capacity to influence their believers to take a particular political direction. This was witnessed during the 1980 where religion played a major role to make the Democratic Party (DP), headed by Paul Kawanga Ssemogerere, the strongest party in the country because it had received the support of the Catholics who were the majority.
DP also received the blessings of the Catholic Church leaders because it was founded along religious lines by Ben Kiwanuka, to promote the interests of the Catholic Church during the colonial era.
During the 1980 elections DP's flag bearer Ssemogerere is widely believed to have won the elections which was rigged in favour of UPC's Milton Obote.
But aside politics, some people have questioned the constitutionality of spending tax payers' money to teach religious studies, when Uganda is by constitution a secular state. Others have pointed to the fact that because not all religions are taught, it was unfair for the government to fund the teaching of some religions at the expense of others.
Some, like Local government Minister, Maj. Gen. Kahinda Otafire dismissed arguments that teaching religious studies in schools promotes morals amongst pupils and students. This brings to light the issue of whether what is taught as religious studies is for academic purposes or for promoting the beliefs of a particular religion. Does a list of criminals, corrupt or immoral people necessarily show people who didn't take religious education? It is because of these debatable facts that the issue of continuing or stooping teaching of religious studies remains a contentious one amongst many Uganda.
First published: June 21, 2008 (ugpulse.com)
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Real, real mess – Uganda’s journalism
I have faced the real wrath of Uganda’s journalists especially now that I am in campaigns for political leadership. Money, money and nothing else for you to appear on radio, in papers, etc.
For starters, I am contesting for the Fort Portal Municipality parliamentary seat on the opposition Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) ticket.
Just recent, one Monday evening our FDC chairperson (Kabarole district) calls us for a press conference and the issue was to unveil the FDC candidates who won their primaries to the public.
A good number of journalists appeared representing every media institution that matters. We (candidates) raised a good number of issues but simply little was aired on Fort Portal based FM radio stations – in any case, maybe the little was to show the public that we (journalists) are professional because we are balancing all corners.
The next day, I accidentally landed on one of the news editors of the Fort Portal based FM station, pushed him to wall to answer why the opposition received a media blackout. I heard a very interesting answer – You never gave us anything.
On one hand, surely, I felt it was unfair but on the other, sympathy flowed in my heart for the journalists. I am a journalist myself who has seen it all. Exploitation looks like it is the order of the day in this whole journalism profession.
Only a few big media institutions like New Vision and Daily monitor pay their staff well. Then, how do you expect them to survive without making such ungodly moves. They have families, girl friends and therefore, a life to live.
Owners of media institutions likewise are shrewd businessmen who should not be blamed because they use any loophole in our laws to maximize their profits.
Why not blame the government (sorry, but you went to power promising to solve all that mess). This business of calling every Tom, Dick and Harry to come and invest in the media without putting up clear employment policies is messing up the whole profession.
Mind you, our profession is very noble and without it, corruption remains at very unmanageable levels in this country. This is time for our government to priotise setting up better employment policies like putting up a minimum wage for the benefit of our country.
For starters, I am contesting for the Fort Portal Municipality parliamentary seat on the opposition Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) ticket.
Just recent, one Monday evening our FDC chairperson (Kabarole district) calls us for a press conference and the issue was to unveil the FDC candidates who won their primaries to the public.
A good number of journalists appeared representing every media institution that matters. We (candidates) raised a good number of issues but simply little was aired on Fort Portal based FM radio stations – in any case, maybe the little was to show the public that we (journalists) are professional because we are balancing all corners.
The next day, I accidentally landed on one of the news editors of the Fort Portal based FM station, pushed him to wall to answer why the opposition received a media blackout. I heard a very interesting answer – You never gave us anything.
On one hand, surely, I felt it was unfair but on the other, sympathy flowed in my heart for the journalists. I am a journalist myself who has seen it all. Exploitation looks like it is the order of the day in this whole journalism profession.
Only a few big media institutions like New Vision and Daily monitor pay their staff well. Then, how do you expect them to survive without making such ungodly moves. They have families, girl friends and therefore, a life to live.
Owners of media institutions likewise are shrewd businessmen who should not be blamed because they use any loophole in our laws to maximize their profits.
Why not blame the government (sorry, but you went to power promising to solve all that mess). This business of calling every Tom, Dick and Harry to come and invest in the media without putting up clear employment policies is messing up the whole profession.
Mind you, our profession is very noble and without it, corruption remains at very unmanageable levels in this country. This is time for our government to priotise setting up better employment policies like putting up a minimum wage for the benefit of our country.
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Government and donor support to households will get Uganda out of poverty
Human beings are naturally selfish; I heard the other day that capitalism is embedded in people’s blood, heart and soul. Government or company workers will always drive government or company cars so badly simply because they are not theirs.
Carl Marx’s communism has also failed to work simply because it promotes communal work, communal ownership of properties, communal everything.
For instance, communism has failed to develop North Korea, Cuba and many other countries of the former USSR and East Germany. Despite its close proximity to the Asian Economic giants of South Korea, Japan and China, Communist North Korea remains a poor country likewise Cuba, despite its close proximity to the world’s superpower – USA, Fidel’s Castro’s country remains a third world country. The reason is simple,
communist systems do not provide for an extra reward or motivation for an extraordinary work done by an individual.
Communist China saw the light earlier. You can see where it is now – World’s number two economic giant after USA. Trust me people!, China only hides under the guise of communism maybe for propaganda reasons but it is number one capitalist country in the whole world. Recently, China has been in the world spotlight facing criticism for aggressively investing billions of money in many African countries without due regard for their bad records in human rights abuses and governance, the likes of Sudan and Zimbabwe. The reason for China’s aggressiveness is simple; it wants more resources to sustain its high levels of economic growth and development. China’s example is a high level of individualism at a country level.
Did I hear DJ Bush Baby of East Africa TV and radio in one of Uganda’s dailies recently saying that Tanzanians more than all the other people in the five East African countries are still sleeping because of Julius Nyerere’s UJAAMA policy which encouraged communal work and ownership of properties. That thinking will take long to get out of the people’s mind, I think, it is the reason why Tanzanians feared to join the East Africa’s political federation because they feared capitalistic Kenyan and Ugandan business people from taking over their businesses, land, etc and instead make them ‘slaves’ on their own land.
Imagine a hardworking person working on a communal project where some people are sick, some are lazy, some are naturally weak, some are dumb, etc. What will happen to the hardworking person after a day, a week, a month, a year, etc – reduced motivation to work because of no extra motivation like extra payment in recognition of her/his hard
work?
Uganda government, donors are now focusing on supporting group projects because to them, it’s a smart investment with capacity to ensure human economic development. Surely, group support is good when it comes to some issues like monitoring projects because people will easily check each other’s performance, in cases where mobilization of huge capital for big investments is necessary, community security but surprisingly, you will be shocked to find that many group projects fail because of selfish (individualistic) nature of human beings.
I was recently sharing with the Executive Director of a local NGO based in Fort Portal (Engabu Za Tooro) which supports group and individual entrepreneurship projects, he said, “Individual projects are flourishing but many group projects have failed to pick up”. There is a big lesson to learn from this experience? Individual interests are always at play, everyone wants to get something for her/his family at the expense of the sustainability of the group project.
The spirit of individualism coupled with poor administrative systems is the reason why corruption is ripe in Uganda, being a poor country with huge numbers of uneducated people who can’t put their leaders to account for their funds, it will always be easy for a government official to swindle billions of money meant for treating malaria, Tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS for millions of people and instead use the money to pay for her/his kids school fees in expensive schools abroad, meet a medical bill of a family member outside the country, buy a posh residence in a developed country, etc.
People have been complaining of the Uganda government controlled National Agricultural advisory services (NAADS) for giving farmers substandard animal and seed breeds which are procured at exorbitant prices by people who get the NAADS contracts. Now, I hear that NAADS has set up a new guideline where money will be channeled directly to the farmers to procure the items.
Very few people can be selfish to themselves; people make many investment mistakes mainly because of ignorance. The new NAADS guideline is a plus to the institution because households will always strive to buy the best animal and crop breeds to improve on their household incomes.
Support to group projects is good but in areas where they can’t work, support to household projects should be a serious option for consideration by donors and government if the country is to get out of poverty. However, such initiatives can make the country a success story in economic growth and development if proper assessment and monitoring mechanisms are instituted.
At the end of the day, a household or family is the smallest administrative unit in the country and there is a popular saying that ‘one by one makes a bundle’ therefore, when families in a country are economically self reliant, the whole country will be economically self-reliant.
Carl Marx’s communism has also failed to work simply because it promotes communal work, communal ownership of properties, communal everything.
For instance, communism has failed to develop North Korea, Cuba and many other countries of the former USSR and East Germany. Despite its close proximity to the Asian Economic giants of South Korea, Japan and China, Communist North Korea remains a poor country likewise Cuba, despite its close proximity to the world’s superpower – USA, Fidel’s Castro’s country remains a third world country. The reason is simple,
communist systems do not provide for an extra reward or motivation for an extraordinary work done by an individual.
Communist China saw the light earlier. You can see where it is now – World’s number two economic giant after USA. Trust me people!, China only hides under the guise of communism maybe for propaganda reasons but it is number one capitalist country in the whole world. Recently, China has been in the world spotlight facing criticism for aggressively investing billions of money in many African countries without due regard for their bad records in human rights abuses and governance, the likes of Sudan and Zimbabwe. The reason for China’s aggressiveness is simple; it wants more resources to sustain its high levels of economic growth and development. China’s example is a high level of individualism at a country level.
Did I hear DJ Bush Baby of East Africa TV and radio in one of Uganda’s dailies recently saying that Tanzanians more than all the other people in the five East African countries are still sleeping because of Julius Nyerere’s UJAAMA policy which encouraged communal work and ownership of properties. That thinking will take long to get out of the people’s mind, I think, it is the reason why Tanzanians feared to join the East Africa’s political federation because they feared capitalistic Kenyan and Ugandan business people from taking over their businesses, land, etc and instead make them ‘slaves’ on their own land.
Imagine a hardworking person working on a communal project where some people are sick, some are lazy, some are naturally weak, some are dumb, etc. What will happen to the hardworking person after a day, a week, a month, a year, etc – reduced motivation to work because of no extra motivation like extra payment in recognition of her/his hard
work?
Uganda government, donors are now focusing on supporting group projects because to them, it’s a smart investment with capacity to ensure human economic development. Surely, group support is good when it comes to some issues like monitoring projects because people will easily check each other’s performance, in cases where mobilization of huge capital for big investments is necessary, community security but surprisingly, you will be shocked to find that many group projects fail because of selfish (individualistic) nature of human beings.
I was recently sharing with the Executive Director of a local NGO based in Fort Portal (Engabu Za Tooro) which supports group and individual entrepreneurship projects, he said, “Individual projects are flourishing but many group projects have failed to pick up”. There is a big lesson to learn from this experience? Individual interests are always at play, everyone wants to get something for her/his family at the expense of the sustainability of the group project.
The spirit of individualism coupled with poor administrative systems is the reason why corruption is ripe in Uganda, being a poor country with huge numbers of uneducated people who can’t put their leaders to account for their funds, it will always be easy for a government official to swindle billions of money meant for treating malaria, Tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS for millions of people and instead use the money to pay for her/his kids school fees in expensive schools abroad, meet a medical bill of a family member outside the country, buy a posh residence in a developed country, etc.
People have been complaining of the Uganda government controlled National Agricultural advisory services (NAADS) for giving farmers substandard animal and seed breeds which are procured at exorbitant prices by people who get the NAADS contracts. Now, I hear that NAADS has set up a new guideline where money will be channeled directly to the farmers to procure the items.
Very few people can be selfish to themselves; people make many investment mistakes mainly because of ignorance. The new NAADS guideline is a plus to the institution because households will always strive to buy the best animal and crop breeds to improve on their household incomes.
Support to group projects is good but in areas where they can’t work, support to household projects should be a serious option for consideration by donors and government if the country is to get out of poverty. However, such initiatives can make the country a success story in economic growth and development if proper assessment and monitoring mechanisms are instituted.
At the end of the day, a household or family is the smallest administrative unit in the country and there is a popular saying that ‘one by one makes a bundle’ therefore, when families in a country are economically self reliant, the whole country will be economically self-reliant.
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