Letter: The new lower curriculum only recognizes good things the learner can do

Dear Editor

It is now coming to two years since the unforgettable lockdown was lifted. Schools up to now are still experiencing the impact of Covid 19 and nursing wounds through counseling and guidance on post Covid psychological issues and effects.   The head teachers and their deputies are ever cursing the black day of 20^th March, 2020 when schools got closed for 2 years which threw everybody in the stress caused by provoking media, loss of lives, depression, helpless, family breakdown, domestic violence and everybody getting worried of everybody  was having Covid 19.  

 Since the return of the learners in the new normal, it has been discovered that indiscipline cases increased, drug abuse common, students have no time to read, science and arts teachers’ issue and children who were making money not interested to study.  Teachers are still struggling with the issue of abridged curriculum, adjusting with the new technology, new lower secondary curriculum and managing their side income projects they started during Covid 19. Most schools have now understood the learners and support them not to give up.

Guidance and counseling in many schools is taking a big part of their budgets than before. Schools are encouraged to let learners be allowed to write down what make them sad and emotionally disclosure to school counselors who will assure them that they are not alone undergoing such suffering. The school should remember to embrace referral idea on extreme cases and later do the follow up. Teachers handling such students should remember to share their memories with learners as these give courage and focus of them. This will enable the schools to handle cases of students committing suicide as it was during the first year after lockdown.

Head teachers or deputy head teachers therefore, should avoid putting themselves above human. It brings a good learning and working environment if the head of the school or deputy, shares his/her worries and happiness with first the staff and later the learners. One should remember to focus mainly on the happy future and be flexible.  If schools are to break through, teachers need to be open, social, network, embrace team work, manage stress, take on physical exercise at all times for relaxation and have positive minds. Don’t fear to talk to someone about your worries, feelings and hopes.

At this time of post Covid 19 lockdown, schools should not distance themselves from the parents. Schools should aim at creating a positive relationship with all stakeholders. Parents must be sensitized about the new normal, behavioral changes of their children, limited time to social media and phones among others. Remember we need to avoid a situation which may cause students to drop out from schools. Head teachers should be kin on the completion rate of learners in each level.

Last year while at Deputy Commissioner of National Secretariat for Patriotism Corps,  Afande Mubaraka Magomu while addressing ASSHU- Busoga region at Busoga College Mwiiri had a workable advise to bring hope among learners. He advocated for orientation of students in patriotism trainings and fight unwanted behavours.  Through patriotism, national values and culture are inculcated into the young ones regardless their age, sex or tribe. Schools need to openly embrace this program. It is on record that schools which have embraced it, their students are disciplined, focused and morally upright. Patriotism is full of love, so what a learner does, love must be seen first to self, then school and Uganda. 

In the struggle to have visionary citizens in future and fight unemployment, a patriotic new lower curriculum was introduced in 2020. Head teachers are believed to have mastered this curriculum. They are aware of how the week is divided on a school time table like on Monday after class hours, is time for library and research. The library should be stocked with newspapers and text books which can enable more learning.  Tuesday is a project day which calls for learners to be more creative.  Wednesday is for clubs and associations. Learners are expected to promote social harmony. To develop debating talent and grooming future leaders is done on Thursday during the debating time as Friday is for sports and games.

Mr. Mulumba Mutema Mathias of National Curriculum Development Centre is ever simplifying the new lower curriculum to head teachers and deputy head teachers whenever gets chance address them. He is always praised for empowering school head teachers in their smooth monitoring and supervision (of the new curriculum as commonly called) since ‘a head teacher is the first inspector’.  Learners’ scores of the activity of integration and project work can best be recorded in excel or a counter book as schools wait for guidance from UNEB for scores submission. This curriculum only recognizes good things the learner can do.

For God and My country.

By Ngobi Charles

Kamuli District