Bunyoro Kingdom Protests New Lower Secondary Curriculum

By Fred Kiva

Bunyoro Kitara Kingdom is concerned that its history has been omitted in the revised lower secondary curriculum, that the Ministry of Education intends to roll out.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, the Kingdom Spokesperson Francis Mugerwa said they have been approached with numerous concerns to the effect that the Kingdom history had been left out in the new curriculum on history and political education.

“We undertook consultations and established that our history was not featuring in the topic under state formations where Bunyoro was previously one of the case studies alongside Buganda, Ankole and Acholi,” the statement reads. “We further established that Bunyoro's treasured social events such as the coronation anniversary celebrations (Empango) and Empaako naming ceremony, which was inscribed by UNESCO as a non tangible heritage that require protection, were not included in the new curriculum,” the kingdom further argues.

The cultural institution says it has raised the matter with the National Curriculum Development Centre, copied in the Education Minister and other relevant officials. “BKK (Bunyoro Kitara Kingdom) has received feedback from Bunyoro MP's indicating that they raised our concerns in the NRM Parliamentary Caucus and got assurance that there will be an addendum to include Bunyoro's history and the curriculum will be passed with the same amendment,” the Kingdom said.

This is yet another concern regarding the new curriculum whose roll out has been halted by parliament citing lack of adequate consultation. On Tuesday, a motion to have implementation of the new curriculum halted was moved by Budadiri County West MP, Nandala Mafabi and supported by the whole August House.

The Speaker Rebecca Kadaga later directed the Education Ministry to carry out a nationwide consultation for all stakeholders on the new curriculum before rolling it out in schools.

The Education Ministry through the National Curriculum Development Centre (NCDC) recently announced it had revised the curriculum, in which it among others scrapped termly exams and replaced them with projects, that students will do at every end of the topic. 

Addressing Parliament this week, State Minister for Primary Education, Rosemary Sseninde said the new curriculum for lower secondary was meant to replace the old one which she said was designed in the 1960s and could not address current challenges in the country.