Africa-Press – Uganda. The quality assurance manager of Uganda Clays Limited Ms. Irene Atuko has urged the government to balance the curriculum to empower the girl child to prepare them for life after school.
“The education system nowadays lacks balance, most of the schools now focus on passing, students are circulated with a lot of information yet the schools are supposed to equip them with life skills to prepare them for the future after school and how to protect themselves,” she said.
Ms. Atuko made the remarks while addressing students of St Andrew’s College Ssanda at the launch of the women empowerment program for students on Friday in Kajjansi Town Council, Wakiso District.
“There is nothing in the curriculum that shows how women are supposed to be empowered, many schools talk about sex education but we have just had a situation of a two-year lockdown, and percentage of pregnancies is high which shows there is a gap in what is being taught in school,” she said.
Ms. Atuko said lack of preparation for life after school has led to people jumping from different jobs.
“When the girls focus on school, they can perform and pass, compete equally in the job market after their studies at the university. We want to show the girls that even in the manufacturing industry women are needed so that they don’t stick to only the stereotype jobs known as for women” she said.
The head of Production Uganda Clays Limited Mr. Joseph Sendegeya said there is a need to assure the girl child that they are already empowered.
“By the time parents bring them to school, they have empowered them. It’s not like in the past where they would remain in the background to cook for the boys when they are at school, now the ground is leveled” he said.
The head teacher of St Andrews College Ssanda Mr. John Katagira said there is a need for career talks in schools to equip students with life skills to prepare them for life outside schools.
“At school, we concentrate so much on the academic content but we forget that life skills are also key through these career guidance, sex education talks a lot of knowledge, skills are picked by the learners and I believe we are going to have a higher level of discipline and change in behavior,” he said.
Mr. Katagira added, “Countrywide we have had a challenge of girls indulging in early sex, some ending up pregnant and have dropped out of school, the problem was slight reluctance on the side of parents during the time students were out of school. When these students come to school, they are protected that sent a clear message of how schools are keeping the girls safe and desist from indulging in premature sex”.
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