Dear friends,
Please receive our September edition of the Brick though it has come out late.
Welcome to the month of Basic Education and Literacy. My heart soothes to the fact that Rotary chose Education as one of the focus areas. Education transforms individuals who in turn lead societal change and community development.
Basic education comprises two (2) stages; Primary and lower Secondary Education. In Uganda 32% of the total population are of this school going age. Imagine what would happen if there was no opportunity to go to school! Basic Education combines formal education which children attain when they go to school, but this builds on and complements the informal school which is the home! There is no question therefore on who imparts the knowledge; everyone is a teacher.
I am so proud that our Rotary Club of Kajjansi chose to focus on Education as a key area that all Presidents contribute to. The developments in Katwe Bweya transformed what was a pitiable school into an enviable one! The establishment of the Technical institute in Buikwe transformed the village and community at large. Education gives confidence, it promotes security, leads to open mindedness, controls the population, reduces mortality rates, solves the unemployment challenge as people acquire new skills, opens up more opportunities through mobility, the list is endless. The quality of any country is largely attributed to the quality of education! It is therefore imperative that due consideration is given to the education system so that it produces the desired quality of citizens.
Education has been largely affected by the Covid 19 pandemic globally! This brings a feeling of helplessness and hopelessness, but it has been an eye opener to many opportunities that could never have been! Families have had chance to strengthen their bonds, parents have gone back to their primary role of nurturing their children than delegating all responsibilities to house helps. Children have learnt new skills and techniques for learning. Those from advantaged families have improved their computer skills and broad reading has been enhanced. Although many lament a year lost we should appreciate what has been able to be done and the checks and balances that the new system has revealed. Policy makers and curriculum developers have also given value for their earnings as they strove to come up with workable solutions. A new system of online learning has been embraced and is here to stay! I hope the role of teachers will no longer be underestimated now that parents have tested the deeper waters.
Literacy is a process by which one expands one’s knowledge of reading and writing in order to develop one’s thinking and learning for the purpose of understanding oneself and the world. People are literate in different areas and it is wrong to judge a person as illiterate just because they lack knowledge in one field; Birds fly and fish swim! Literacy being a process implies that we can improve any skill up to our last day of living.
A lot of Literature has been written to help us in understanding our heritage and diversity and it is the duty of every adult to interest the young into knowledge acquisition. It frustrates me at every mention that if you want to hide something from a Ugandan, put it in a book! Take a look at some of the works of celebrated writers in Uganda and do a self assessment showing your knowledge before and after; Charles Mayiga, Barbara Kimenye, Wycliff Kiyingi, Mahmood Mamdan, Catherine Samalie Kavuma , Michael Nsimbi, Barbara Barungi and many others. Their message is put into systematic, enticing stories, poems and tales.
With a critical mind, any book read, changes the perception and outlook of the reader. I thus implore you to interest yourselves in the art of reading. We can start with simple, small volumes as we grow into sophisticated literature of the likes of Shakespeare.
Annet Nannyonjo
President 2020-21
