State Minister for Primary Education, Rosemary Seninde

The State Minister for Primary Education, Rosemary Seninde, has equated a two year certificate at ordinary level to an advanced level certificate saying this makes one eligible to enroll for a diploma.

She made the remarks while explaining to MPs government’s decision to scrap off one year certificate courses.

Last month the national council for higher education ordered all institutions of higher learning to stop teaching one year certificate courses arguing that these were contravening with guidelines of national council of higher education.

Seninde further explained that the national council for higher education realized that these one year certificates could not be used by anyone to upgrade for higher studies and that’s why it was scrapped.

She however, says that this will not affect tailor made courses that are geared towards empowering people with skills.

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State minister for Education Rosemary Sseninde (Left) and former primary education minister John C Muyingo giving instruments of power to Seninde.

The Minister of Education and Sports, Rosemary Seninde says that the NAPE report clearly indicated that only those undergoing training were found to be wanting with 21 percent not able to count and 38 percent not able to read in English.

Seninde says it’s against this background that the ministry is increasing the entry requirements to 6 passes from 5 and with these a student must have obtained at least credit 6 in both English and match.

However, the MPs said that education problems stem from students joining teacher training   after getting snubbed in other courses and also learning for long hours which has turned them into people who can pass exams but cannot comprehend what they have been taught.

The Speaker asked the education committee to look at the recommendations in the minister’s report on how they can improve education.

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The commission in a letter dated March 9th 2015, wrote to several media houses demanding that they nominate new reporters to replace the crop that has been in Parliament from 2009 and beyond. The directive affects more than 50 journalists from different media platforms.

During a meeting with media editors at Parliament on Monday, the Speaker of Parliament, Rebecca Kadaga expressed anger over the conduct of some of the journalists attached to the House.

According to sources who attended the highly charged meeting, Kadaga accused some of the journalists of negative reporting, many times not cross checking their facts.

Apparently, the Speaker cited reporting on the vetting of the Deputy Chief Justice, Stephen Kavuma as an example of the reporters’ bias. She said the Appointments Committee had received a letter from the Judicial Service Commission, confirming that Kavuma had indeed been shortlisted for the job but some journalists reported that he had not been shortlisted for the job. She was visibly bitter that the journalists did not crosscheck their facts with the committee.

She further accused the reporters of negative reporting and indiscipline including journalists demanding for money from legislators to run their stories.

Kibirige is reported to have expressed anger over a letter written by the Uganda Parliamentary Press Association President, Agnes Nandutu, giving an ultimatum to Parliament to withdraw the letter or be dragged to court.

Kibirige, according to another source who attended the meeting but asked to remain anonymous, reportedly said the letter from her office to media editors is still valid, but dismissed UPPA’s letter, terming the association as a lobby group.

The meeting was also attended by two Parliamentary Commissioners, Rosemary Sseninde (Wakiso Woman Member of Parliament) and William Nokrach (Member of Parliament PWDs Northern Uganda).

While some of the editors are said to have sided with the directive but asked for more time to consult, others demanded that the Commission adduces names of particular journalists accused of misbehavior.

However, Kadaga and the commissioners declined to do so.  They instead promised that they would go back to the drawing board and discuss the matter further, after which the editors would be called for a follow-up meeting.

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This follows recent strikes by traders and taxi drivers over wide ranging grievances that have later attracted the attention of the government.

Seminde says that government should learn to always come out and listen to the people’s demands before things reach at a demonstration level.

She also appealed to government to look into taxes and fuel so as to bring down the commodity prices saying that is the only thing that stop the ongoing demonstrations.

Ultimate Media

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