{UAH} STILL WONDER WHY MUSEVENI DOESNT KNOW HOW MANY KIDS HE HAS SPEWED?

Ugandans fare badly in regional counting

KAMPALA, Uganda - A latest numeracy and literacy report shows Uganda as the worst country in East Africa with more children in primary who lack basic reading and counting skills.

Uwezo East Africa 2013 findings show there are large differences in learning achievements among the three East African countries with Kenya performing better at 68% in both numeracy and literacy skills compared to Tanzania at 50% and Uganda at 38%.

Kenya and Tanzania shared same ranking (68%) in numeracy while Uganda scored less than 50% in all competencies.

According to Sara Ruto, Uwezo regional manager, although Kenya fared better than the two countries, it is home to the worst performing districts in the region demonstrated in stark inequalities.

"Many children in East Africa are not learning basic literacy and numeracy skills. Less than two out of ten pupils in the third year of primary school can read or do basic mathematics at primary two levels."

"By the time they reach the last year of primary school, one out of five East African children still have not acquired these (numeracy and reading) skills," Ruto said at the launch of the report at Makerere University, Kampala last week.

She said out of the assessment, among children aged  6-16 less than a third have these basic skills in the three countries she therefore called upon the government to enhance teacher capacity so as to improve the education sector.

"It's important that governments in the three countries priotize teacher motivation since its key to the children's performances in school," she said

The findings according to her raise questions on government's effort to provide quality education to all Ugandans especially in schools implementing universal education intended for children, whose parents can't afford to pay fees.

Ms Ruto proposed that a lot of attention be put in improving teachers' welfare since children spend their biggest time at school and are thus central in helping them acquire basic competencies needed in the job market.

Robert Musinze the General Secretary UNATU blamed the low performance to the under financing of the sector and the imbalanced teacher to pupil ratio in most schools.

He said that "motivation of teachers is key therefore governments should redefine their priorities by allocating adequate money to the education sector which will contribute to the improvement of the quality of education received"

According to him, this coupled with the change in teacher training right from the teacher training institutions contributes to the improvement of education in the three countries.

Elizabeth Mutumba a senior Education officer, who represented the ministry, said a research will be conducted to inform government on how to improve on the issues raised.

She said that "the findings are disappointing. The government will conduct a research and come up with what to do to improve on the learning outcomes. I have to report back to my seniors," Mutumba said.

Ms Zaida Mgalla, Uwezo Tanzania Country Coordinator, said continued lack of political will to improve the quality of education is to blame for the decline in education pass on to the children.

By Winnie Mandela, Saturday, May 17th, 2014

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Gwokto La'Kitgum

"Even a small dog can piss on a tall Building", Jim Hightower

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