During holidays, majority of parents pray for when schools will reopen and they take the children back. This is worse when the child is a bit stubborn.

Parents always believe that it’s only schools (teachers) that can manage their stubborn children.

Prof. Anthony Muwagga Mugagga the Principal of the College of Education and External Studies (CEES) believes that a teacher can transform this child and turn them into good citizens if they put in extra efforts, more than just classroom lessons.

“A good teacher should understand their learners, and know their problems. You will discover that some of them can be solved by you or the school,” he said 

“A student should know about the current issues in the society; for example we now have the issue of homosexuality, advise them because you spend most of the time with them,” he added.

“Our students need to be taught using competence based curriculum, they need to know some vital issues like washing, ironing, cooking among others, learners need hands-on training because this will help them in getting daily income as we saw during Covid-19 some of our teachers went redundant and it was these skills that helped people survive,” he added.

Prof. Mugagga made these pertinent remarks while addressing the Stakeholders Engagement on Developing a Competence Based Profile for Graduate Teacher Trainee in Universities.

The study seeks to identify teacher competences emphasized in several University teacher training programs and also identify teacher competences emphasized in several scholarly literatures, interview various education stakeholders and come up with a subject specific graduate teacher competence profile to guide graduate teacher training, recruitment, supervision and continuous professional development

The researchers argue the unified framework for teacher training contains general competences, that do not focus on specifics of language, sciences, Humanities and general education. This among others is what they seek to improve.

The research team comprises of Dr. Yuda Taddeo Kaahwa the Principal Investigator, Dr. Richard Balikowa, Mr Cale Santus, Mr Edward Kansiime and Dr. Rebecca Nambi.

Speaking at the workshop, Dr Kaahwa said the team will now dive into the field study countrywide and later come up with a full report which will be discussed by relevant stakeholders.

“We want to design frameworks which will produce the modern day teacher who is needed in the transformation of our children,” he said.

The workshop was attended by representatives of teachers from arts and sciences, teacher trainers, curriculum specialists, the Directorate of Industrial Training (DIT) among others.

Commenting about the study whose investigators are now awaiting to go in the field, Prof Mugaga asked researchers to come up with modules which will combine the old and new curriculum since they are all important.

He asked institutions to always make partnerships, mentor each other and be united during service execution.

This countrywide study has been funded by government under the Makerere University Research Fund (Mak-RIF)

Prof. Fred Masagazi, the chair Grant Management Committee of Makerere Research and Innovations Fund lauded CEES for submitting the highest number of research proposals which have attracted funding.

On this particular one he said, “the objective was to come up with an idea which will have an impact which will transform and as well add value to the society,” 

Ruth Arinaitwe who represented DIT during the workshop said this comparative study will address policy and provide solutions, as government is coming up with new curriculums aimed at transforming learners.

Teachers should instill morals and values among learners- Prof. Mugagga

During holidays, majority of parents pray for when schools will reopen and they take the children back. This is worse when the child is a bit stubborn.

Parents always believe that it’s only schools (teachers) that can manage their stubborn children.

Prof. Anthony Muwagga Mugagga the Principal of the College of Education and External Studies (CEES) believes that a teacher can transform this child and turn them into good citizens if they put in extra efforts, more than just classroom lessons.

“A good teacher should understand their learners, and know their problems. You will discover that some of them can be solved by you or the school,” he said 

“A student should know about the current issues in the society; for example we now have the issue of homosexuality, advise them because you spend most of the time with them,” he added.

“Our students need to be taught using competence based curriculum, they need to know some vital issues like washing, ironing, cooking among others, learners need hands-on training because this will help them in getting daily income as we saw during Covid-19 some of our teachers went redundant and it was these skills that helped people survive,” he added.

Prof. Mugagga made these pertinent remarks while addressing the Stakeholders Engagement on Developing a Competence Based Profile for Graduate Teacher Trainee in Universities.

The study seeks to identify teacher competences emphasized in several University teacher training programs and also identify teacher competences emphasized in several scholarly literatures, interview various education stakeholders and come up with a subject specific graduate teacher competence profile to guide graduate teacher training, recruitment, supervision and continuous professional development

The researchers argue the unified framework for teacher training contains general competences, that do not focus on specifics of language, sciences, Humanities and general education. This among others is what they seek to improve.

The research team comprises of Dr. Yuda Taddeo Kaahwa the Principal Investigator, Dr. Richard Balikowa, Mr Cale Santus, Mr Edward Kansiime and Dr. Rebecca Nambi.

Speaking at the workshop, Dr Kaahwa said the team will now dive into the field study countrywide and later come up with a full report which will be discussed by relevant stakeholders.

“We want to design frameworks which will produce the modern day teacher who is needed in the transformation of our children,” he said.

The workshop was attended by representatives of teachers from arts and sciences, teacher trainers, curriculum specialists, the Directorate of Industrial Training (DIT) among others.

Commenting about the study whose investigators are now awaiting to go in the field, Prof Mugaga asked researchers to come up with modules which will combine the old and new curriculum since they are all important.

He asked institutions to always make partnerships, mentor each other and be united during service execution.

This countrywide study has been funded by government under the Makerere University Research Fund (Mak-RIF)

Prof. Fred Masagazi, the chair Grant Management Committee of Makerere Research and Innovations Fund lauded CEES for submitting the highest number of research proposals which have attracted funding.

On this particular one he said, “the objective was to come up with an idea which will have an impact which will transform and as well add value to the society,” 

Ruth Arinaitwe who represented DIT during the workshop said this comparative study will address policy and provide solutions, as government is coming up with new curriculums aimed at transforming learners.

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