Mukono Boarding School Administrators Commended for Pupils’ Practical Learning

It’s over four years after the Ministry of Education and Sports together with the National Curriculum Development Centre (NCDC) rolled out the New Lower Secondary Schools’ Curriculum.

The new curriculum aims at providing to the learners the 21^st century skills which include; critical thinking, creativity, collaboration or teamwork, communication, information literacy, ICT and flexibility.

With all that intended to change the quality of graduates who were good at grades with poor or no skills, a number of secondary schools are still lamenting, giving reasons why they are not ready for the change whereas others have already copped up with the idea and enjoying the new trend that puts the learners at the forefront in the learning experience.

After realizing the gist of the matter in the new curriculum, the administrators of Mukono Boarding Primary School located in Mukono Central Division, Mukono Municipality decided to start taking their learners through the same trend, making each and every subject they teach, practical and enjoyable to the pupils.

Though the parents and other education stakeholders learnt of this during the school curriculum exhibition day held on Saturday July 7, 2024, the school headteacher, Susan Wamala Sserunkuuma said that they have taken some time going through this new method of teaching.

Wamala said that the learners take a pivotal role not only in taking in what the teachers are giving them but also having equal involvement when it comes to skilling.

“At Mukono Boarding, as parents have seen, pupils as early as Primary One have a number of hands-on skilling projects they do by themselves. If we go by this trend, by the time they will be finishing Primary Seven, all of them will be in position to sustain themselves through practicing the skills they have learnt over the years,’ she said.

During the school curriculum day, learners exhibited a number of things they do at school in their different classes and in different subjects.

Through the English subject, the learners showcased how the introduction ceremony in Buganda is done where the two sides had MCs who led the function throughout all the steps from when the in-laws get to the bride’s home to the end. Parents were so amused to learn from their children things which they themselves do not know.

The Social Studies side presented the agriculture bit of the show and made money as the learners sold to parents seedlings of fruits, eggs, chicken, rabbits and also goats from the school farm.

They staged the parliament which also took parents to see their children as they deliberated, the modern banking system, the architecture, among others.

Primary Six won the day’s entertainment as they showcased a number of traditional instruments and dances.

The Lugazi Municipality education officer, Edrine Musoke said that this exhibition was the first of its kind at Mukono Boarding Primary School.

“This is what the government is telling schools to do. The emphasis was first put in secondary, starting with the ‘O’ Level but I am so amused that also primary schools have started practicing the same. Let me assure you parents; your children are on the right track. When they join Senior One, they will be just having a continuation,” Musoke said.

Grace Nantaggya, the headteacher of Mengo Senior School who was the guest of honor said he was so pleased seeing what he thought was work for secondary students but being practiced by pupils right from Primary One.

“Children are baking cakes, they are conserving the environment through planting trees, they are guarding the environment from pollution because they have been taught and they practice recycling of plastics and many other good things they do with low cost materials. For sure these pupils are ready for ‘O’ level curriculum,” he noted.

Nantaggya contributed three million shillings for the construction of a new and modern school gate.

The school also conducted a raffle draw where three lucky parents had their children win school fees for next term. The raffle was presided over by Counsel Jackson Ntwatwa who is also a parent.

 

 

 

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