The National Curriculum Development Centre (NCDC) is seeking additional funding of Shs143.9bn to roll out the lower secondary curriculum. Appearing before Members of Parliament on the Education Committee, Grace Baguma, the Director NCDC highlighted the need for funds to be provided for the curriculum to be rolled out next year. She had appeared alongside other officials from the curriculum centre to present their budget estimates for the coming FY2019/2020.
Baguma noted that a 5-year roadmap for the rollout of the lower secondary curriculum had been developed by the sector. She explained that various initiatives are underway to mobilize the required funding for preliminary activities in preparation for the rollout in January 2020. ‘’On 25th March 2019, the Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Education and Sports wrote a letter to the Secretary to Treasury, Finance Ministry requesting Shs143.9bn to facilitate the activities for the rollout,’’ said Baguma.
She revealed that out of the required Shs143.9bn, different key departments are to benefit as initial funding. These include NCDC Shs27bn, teacher and Instructor Education and Training Shs29bn, Instructional Materials Unit Shs49.7bn and Uganda National Examinations Board-UNEB Shs38bn. Baguma told legislators that the request to finance from the Education Permanent Secretary was followed by another letter from NCDC indicating the urgent need for funds. She said that among the prioritized activities are training of master trainers and trainers, training of teachers on the S1 curriculum content and assessment modalities and printing teacher training manuals. Kiruhura Woman MP Sheila Mwiine together with Kashari South MP Nathan Itungo emphasized the need for funds to be allocated within the budget so that the curriculum is rolled out since it had taken 12 years without funding.
When tasked by the Education Committee Chairperson Jacob Opolot about the matter, Education Ministry Permanent Secretary, Alex Kakooza told the committee that requests for funding had been sent to the Finance Ministry and that they have been able to provide only Shs500m out of the Shs143.9bn. Opolot said that the availed money is inadequate to do any work on the curriculum roll out. He promised that his committee will meet with the Finance Ministry to ensure that adequate funding is provided. For comments, call or text us on 0752510225.
