Netters,
Surprising as it might appear I, too, know about the politics of UPE. However, I do not see how this negates its being a farce.
Museveni's single interest is to stay in power for as long as possible, no matter what the cost is to Uganda. With UPE he simply used the tactic of blackmailing politicians or anyone who'd put the development of Uganda in real terms first and foremost. He is cunning enough to know that the country does not need more P7 graduates as badly as it needs graduates in technical schools.
Museveni jolly well knows that Uganda's education system is a pyramid: 5-6 million P7 graduates, maybe 1 million O-level graduates, perhaps 500,000 A-level graduates, and (much) less than 50,000 university graduates. (Naturally, I have hard numbers and can produce them, again, if necessary -- see the archives for some of them). In looking for votes (for he'd like to win a free and fair election too -- it is much ccheaper and safer for him than the the military domination that he has had to fall back on, time and again), these numbers tell him to aim his efforts at the lowest stratum. Kaguta is also very aware aware that millions more UPE graduates won't do didly for the economy or improve the standard of living in Uganda. He just doesn't care, for that is only incidental to him.
Now, most people know or would have no trouble in realizing that, if one were interested in getting the economy going, in the shortest possible time, and at the least expense, one would aim effort at those A-level graduates who do not proceed to higher education. This makes sense because with 13 years of education behind them, they are the most trainable. And, on graduation, with practical skills, they are the most critically needed in the economy. They are also the most likely to be self-employed, creating other jobs in the process by their economic activity -- even if we the people, via our taxes, had to give them equipment and even lend them a little moneyy (ca.$300) on graduating. This is a process that could start by building & suitably equiping one technical school in every district. It'd take very little time (10 years at most) for these schools to attract the very brightest and capable students. Parents -- who are traditionally averse to "techo", thanks to decades of British brainwashing -- would eventually see their benefits and support them ethusiatically, once their practical benefits become self-evident. This is just plain horse-sense (aka "common" sense).
As it is now, UPE is a political poison-pill, and Museveni knows it too. And lately he's been bleating about expanding the program, although he also knows we simply cannot afford it or are ready for it (teachers, money, etc) -- and will likely result in falling educational standards. he doesn't care, his children and those of his cronnies will go abbroad or to private schools. You don't have to believe me, just look at Makerere, which is now a paper-mill (degree mill).
Now, back to the issue of national language. I'd like to ask netters to address the issues I raised when I wrote:
�Again I ask, why do we need a national language? Is it worth it to continue spinning our wheels on this? Or is it that we just like rubber cookies?
Some souls have this silly notion that, if we speak Swahili, all of sudden we'll be able to trade with each other, just like that, as if by magic. I do not know where or how such naivety arises. There is absolutely no emperical evidence to support it, not even a scintilla -- other than an incapacitating dose of wishful thinking and pipe-dreams. Little wonder that just about any iddiot can rule Uganda for donkey's years!
Who or what says that at this time trade between Kenya and Uganda or Uganda and TZ is hampered because Ugandans do not have Swahili as their national language or cannot speak Swahili? Or even that Kenya and TZ are doing roaring trade (on which poor Uganda is necessarily missing out) because they both speak Swahili?
Does anyone on this forum know that right after the collapse of the EA Community, the two SWAHILI speaking countries and former partners -- Kenya & TZ -- closed their borders to each other, and that this went on for YEARS? What had happened to this magical Swwahili then?
If Swahili, why not Lingala (a Bantu Language, with no hatred baggage, that's likely be popular in ie E & Central Africa)?�
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--- Begin Message ---Mr. Semakula:
It would be political suicide for anyone in Uganda to try and dismiss UPE. Granted, UPE has had problems but I personally support it and I pray for its success. There is no question that UPE is probably the only program that is pro the poor in Uganda.
Yes, UPE graduates may not go to Namilyango, Budo, Gayaza, Kisubi, Namagunga, Makerere College school, Nabisunsa, Nabbingo, Kibuli, Ntare, Namugongo, Mwiri, Nyapea, Kitovu, Nabumali, St Peter's, Layibi, Bweranyangi, Kigezi College, Teso College, Kiira -Butiiki, Nyakasura, Jinja College etc, but they or their parents recognize and appreciate the functional value of UPE.
I think time has come for these and other old schools to move beyond their 3 stream, 120 student limit as the wave of UPE students makes its way towards PLE. We need more schools along the big day schools like Kololo SSS, Jinja SSS, Mbale SSS, schools that can accomodate thousands of students given their double shift arrangement.
Instead of having a school at every sub county, commendable as it may be, the govt should try to replicate the big day school system in some of the other towns. They have more potential to educate our people especially as UPE takes shape.
There are other reasons too as why we should all pray for UPE to succeed other than churning out 'functionally' literate english speakers. In the next 15 years or so, Uganda will be a better place thanks to UPE because the literacy rate will be up and that is good for democracy.
Democracy cannot take root in countries where people are iliterate, so in that regard UPE is a welcome development. It may actually be one of the few vehicles to save us from the 'movement' hypocrisy and those who take for granted our people in rural areas may rue the day they introduced UPE.
YKM managed to hold off the KB challenge and I believe YKM would have won without resorting to violence because YKM had most of the rural masses on his side, while KB mostly had the urban and 'educated' voters in his camp. You do the maths and you can understand why YKM survived despite the spirited onslaught from KB. YKM was able to win in the villages because he exploited our peoples's iliteracy. He also won the women's vote decisively. With UPE that will gradually change and that in itself is a good thing even if those UPE graduates may never see the inside of the better Uganda schools.
WBK
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