Bwanika pledges overhaul of syllabus to match market

People’s Development Party [PDP] presidential candidate, Dr Abed Bwanika, has pledged to revise the education syllabus to ensure that Ugandans get quality and relevant education.

While addressing different rallies in Butaleja District on Tuesday, Dr Bwanika said the current syllabus is archaic and doesn’t measure up to the demands of the global market.

“The syllabus is instead misguiding Ugandans and those in the system are using it to keep Ugandans in captivity of ignorance,” said Dr Bwanika. The three time presidential candidate said his government will ensure that the syllabus used in schools puts much emphasis on skills development such that graduates can offer solutions to national problems in a practical way.

Education
He promised that his government will construct a government-aided primary school in every parish as well as a secondary and technical school in every sub-county. Students would be provided with uniform and lunch at school.

While the NRM government introduced universal education at primary and post primary level, it doesn’t provide feeding and asked parents to give learners packed lunch.

Dr Bwanika also announced that fighting corruption will be his first assignment immediately after swearing in as the new president. “I will immediately put to task all who have served in the current system to explain the source of their wealth. Those who will fail to account for the riches will have their wealth reverted to support ordinary Ugandans,” he said.

“We are aware of some individuals who have amassed wealth through corrupt ways and their time is up. The money will be directed to the correct population who were meant to benefit from it,’’ he warned.

Administration
He also promised to reduce the number of Cabinet ministers from 72 to 23 and the number of Members of Parliament from 435 to 117, adding that this will help government save resources and plough back to the tax payers.

Bwanika drew applause from the residents when he said he will change Butaleja District into a commercial town once elected as president.

“Peasants have been cheated by local business because government has not set a price for agricultural produce, which I am optimistic will be reached upon when cooperatives have been established,” he said.

Majority residents of the low lying district of Butaleja are a rice growing community.