Col Edith Nakalema, Head of the State House Investors Protection Unit (SHIPU), has called for skills development tailored to individual interests starting at the primary level.
Nakalema made the plea during a meeting with the leadership of the National Curriculum Development Centre (NCDC) in Kampala.
“Can we enable children to pursue their passions from primary school? Nurturing their interests will yield positive outcomes,” she said. She emphasized implementing skills alongside fostering them, stating, “We must develop children’s skills with knowledge and see them through to application.”
Nakalema also highlighted the need for character building to combat moral decadence, noting that its roots lie in homes and schools.
“Parents and teachers often neglect character development. Today’s education focuses on rote learning, not skills, raising concerns about the current generation,” she remarked.
NCDC Director Dr. Grace K. Baguma underscored the importance of skills like communication and problem-solving for socio-economic transformation and investment promotion.
She identified the persistent gap between labor market demands and workforce skills as a major challenge, contributing to structural unemployment and underdevelopment. Dr. Baguma called for increased investment in education, skills development, and job creation.
She highlighted the new curriculum’s focus on foundational skills.
“Our Skills Need Anticipation Committee (SNAC) is developing a framework for skills required in the workforce over the next 20 years,” she said.
However, Dr. Baguma expressed concern about Uganda’s lag in problem-solving and communication skills regionally, advocating for a holistic approach starting from early childhood.
“Our curriculum emphasizes ethical character formation, teaching integrity and respect for others’ property,” she added.
Dr. Baguma proposed a partnership between NCDC and SHIPU to guide skills anticipation, which Col. Nakalema welcomed.
Dr. Bruce Kirenga, Principal of the College of Health Sciences at Makerere University, urged NCDC to involve all stakeholders to ensure inclusive benefits from skills development. He stressed integrating knowledge with skills.
“Skills alone are not enough; combining them with knowledge can drive economic growth when commercialized,” Dr Kirenga said.
