BTVET in Uganda

BTVET in Uganda AN INVESTIGATIVE STUDY OF FACTORS AFFECTING ENROLMENT AND COMPLETION RATES IN INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING (BTVET) IN UGANDA Introduction This study attempts to conduct an investigation of the factors affecting enrolment and completion rates within the Business, Technical & Vocational Education and Training (BTVET) institutions in Uganda. The study covers a period of ten years (between 1999 to 2009), rationally decided upon as it was during this time when the government Implemented major reforms within the education system of the country, as a result of the Education Review Commission (1989). It will be noted that 1999 falls two years short of the actual time (1997) when the government implemented Universal Primary Education (UPE) free to four children of every Ugandan family in the country a step towards meeting Education for all (EFA) by the year 2012 as one of the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) in the country. The study takes place more than ten years down the line since t he inception of UPE and three years after Universal Secondary Education (USE) programmes. Whilst many primary schools are still struggling with the influx of pupils who would otherwise have had no chance of getting a formal elementary education if it were not for UPE and USE, this author seeks to investigate whether the implementation of these programmes has in any way made a difference to people’s attitudes towards education in general and vocational education in particular. The study seeks to investigate the trend of enrolment and completion in institutions of higher learning and in particular those in the Business, Technical, Vocational Education and Training (BTVET) sector during the time when Education For All (EFA) by the year 2012, has been on top of the agenda as one of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDG) for developing countries. The UPE programme took off amidst a barrage of problems including widespread public criticism resulting from the initiall y poor performance of typical UPE schools in the country. Among the problems that pledged this programme from the very start was the issue of congestion of the available classrooms. Because of the UPE programme many schools reported overwhelming enrolments leading to an influx of the hitherto non school going children. This became a cause for concern as a result of the overstretched existing facilities within schools. In spite of the inadequate conditions under which some of the schools operated, and whilst some schools were still lamenting the lack of space and inadequate facilities, it was about this time that the government made good its second promise regarding free education and introduced the Universal Secondary Education, (USE) free for all. The programme, which started in 2007, was introduced in a similar way to UPE ten years earlier. Similar in a sense that the programme was ill prepared for as it was started within the existing school infrastructure and with the same manpo wer. Three years down the line however, reports from the media and evidence from schools seem to suggest that the USE programme has produced increased rates of enrolment in secondary schools by the year since it was started. It is the assumption of this author that if these reforms in the education sector have so far been a success story they could have a similar impact on people’s attitudes regarding education in general and vocational education in particular, and it is from the results of this study that this fact will be fully established. It is on this basis among other factors that this author is to conduct a study of the rates at which students enroll and complete their courses paying particular attention to such factors as cause them to drop out and what to do about it.

Ambiguilty and meaning in the Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad Essay

Ambiguilty and meaning in the Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad - Essay Example No, not very clear" (21). There are several sub-meanings in the novel that can be interpreted in several ways. The story in itself was narrated in a non-conventional way that there was a story within a story adding to the ambiguity of the narrative. But the most prominent ambiguity in the novel is moral ambiguity because its standard and application in the novel was uncertain that it is difficult to tell what constitutes right and wrong, good and evil because these standards were unclear and not easily understood in the novel. One of the most prominent ambiguity in the novel is Kurtz and the circumstances about him. Marlow first heard about Kurtz during a meeting with the accountant of the Company on his way to Congo making him a subject of a subject in a novel or a story of a story as Marlow, the protagonist of the story narrates about him. At first Marlow was somewhat impressed by the reputation Kurtz as he was described as â€Å"very remarkable person† (37) in the novel. Bu t as the novel progresses and as more information was revealed about him, his character becomes blurry that it is difficult to describe his circumstances. ... And perhaps being a novel, maybe device some unusual way to extract vengeance from him for his brutality. But no, he was strangely revered by the natives and was even treated like a god. In his deathbed, natives even surrounded him when Marlow paid Kurtz a visit. And even he felt kinship with the natives that the attack on Marlow’s boat was made with the prodding of Kurtz as revealed by the Russian trader so that Kurtz will not be found and perhaps, to be left alone with the natives. These circumstances blur the logical sequence of morality that you will be hated if you harm people. Instead, Kurtz seemed to be adored by the natives whom he used to slaughter for ivory. The use of words and description of places is also ambiguous that made the novel quite difficult to understand. Congo which is a part of Africa and Africa in general was referred to as the real heart of darkness as the title of the novel suggests but it is also described to be not as dark and gloomy as the coloni sts place such as London and Belgium. This run counters to the common view that we are accustomed with that Africa was supposed to be uncivilized and therefore darker and the Europeans which were supposed to be educated and civilize were supposed to be the bearer of light. But this was negated in the narrative because it was Europe that was darker and not the heart of darkness which was Congo. Here, the standard of what is morally desirable is blurred because the place that was assigned to be the heart of darkness was not after all darker but in fact better than Europe which we used to think as civilized. The ending of the novel was also ambiguous.

Education Systems Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Education Systems - Essay Example But over the years, it seems the geo-political circumstances have taken its toll on the education sector in Ethiopia. A study carried out UNICEF points out that the net primary schools enrollment for male students in Ethiopia during the period 2000-2007 was around 74 percent, while for females this percentage was 69 percent. The study indicates that the enthusiasm shown by parents could not be sustained for long, as the net secondary school enrollment percentage drops down to 29 percent while for female students this figures comes down to just 19 percent (UNICEF, 2008). This indicates towards a fundamental issue of sustaining the interest of the masses in sending their kids for higher education. This indicates towards a need for allocation of still better resources towards the education sector in the country. Amongst other things, the political climate and the war like situation with bordering Eritrea is also responsible for eating into the resources of the country and thus resulting into the adverse humanitarian situation prevailing in the country. International agencies like UNICEF have indeed done commendable work for addressing the needs of general population. For example, the international agency has earmarked US$3,800,000 for the education sector in Ethiopia for the current year (UNICEF, 2009). Ghana, an integral component o... International agencies like UNICEF have indeed done commendable work for addressing the needs of general population. For example, the international agency has earmarked US$3,800,000 for the education sector in Ethiopia for the current year (UNICEF, 2009). Ghana, an integral component of the Gold Coast, is historically known for its rich resources. But, over the years situation has changed to a great extent. In the 1950's it was known as a country with highest level of education in the entire Sub-Saharan Africa2. But the latest statistics point out that the dropout rate of youth while migrating from primary to secondary schools is substantially higher. The UNICEF statistics3 point out that during the period 2000-2007 the enrollment of male in primary schools was 73 percent and for females this figure was 71. But this figure sharply drops down to 47 percent and 43 percent respectively as the students march towards secondary schools education. Despite having a tuition free and mandatory primary and junior secondary school education in Ghana the enrollment in schools can certainly not be termed as satisfactory. Ghana has made a constitutional provision under article 39, which mandates the tenets of free, compulsory, universal basic educat ion (FCUBE) initiative4. Ghana has been getting international attention as well in support of the forward looking policies of the government. Aid from international organizations and foreign governments is helping Ghana in strengthening its educational system. Availability of resources certainly impacts the shaping of the overall picture of educational system. Ethiopia and Ghana are not the one's having best of resources but the respective governments need to accord more priority to