The Director of the National Curriculum Development Centre (NCDC) Grace Baguma, has faulted Members of parliament for politicizing the discussion on the new lower secondary school curriculum that led to the suspension of the entire program.
The curriculum was developed by the National Curriculum Development Centre (NCDC).
On Tuesday a protracted debate lasting up to 5hours on the ministerial statement presented by the Primary Education State Minister, Rosemary Sseninde happened at a plenary sitting before parliament chaired by the Speaker, Rebecca Kadaga.
It concluded with MPS voting unanimously to suspend the implementation of the new education curriculum, on grounds that it required nationwide consultations from all stakeholders, human resources and adequate time for the transition.
On Wednesday, February 5, 2020, the Director of NCDC, Grace Baguma, seemed to downplay the outcome of the presentation in parliament when she said as NCDC they only follow instructions from the Ministry of Education and not politicians.
She noted that the training of teachers on the new curriculum is still ongoing countrywide until the ministry of education says otherwise.
On Tuesday, Sseninde was quoted as saying that the government will not halt the implementation of the new curriculum, as it will be applied to Senior One students.
As she tabled sample books of the revised curriculum before the Speaker, the minister said that major changes in the curriculum are the methodologies, emphasis on values, assessment modalities and reduction in instruction time.
Before the presentation of the statement, on Monday a group of legislators called on the government to halt the implementation of the new curriculum on grounds that some vital subjects had been made optional and that there were not sufficient consultations.
