Implications of ICT Policy to Teacher Education curriculum in Uganda

1. INFORMATION ANDCOMMUNICATIONINFORMATION ANDCOMMUNICATION
TECHNOLOGY POLICY IN THETECHNOLOGY POLICY IN THE
EDUCATION SECTOR: IMPLICATIONSEDUCATION SECTOR: IMPLICATIONS
TO THE TEACHEREDUCATIONTO THE TEACHEREDUCATION
CURRICULUMIN UGANDACURRICULUMIN UGANDA
By
Ndawula Stephen (PhD),
Educational Technology, Kyambogo University

2. OutlineOutline
• Background
• The concept of TeacherEducation
• The Concept of Information and
Communication Technology
• Relevant ICT Policies in the Education Sector
• Implication of ICT Policies to the Teacher
Education Curriculum

3. Uganda is a developing country with a population of
about 35 million
The Uganda system of education is based on an initial 7yrs
of primary education, 4yrs Ordinary Level Secondary , 2yrs
Advanced Level Secondary, after which to tertiary /higher
institutions.
At independence, Uganda had one of the best higher
education systems in Africa; a factor that attracted many
students from her neighboring countries(Namukasa et al).
Uganda suffered an economic setback that began during
the (1971-1985) that was characterized with political
turmoil.
In 1987 the government, embarked on an economic
recovery program aimed at reducing poverty by restoring
education

4. What is ICT?What is ICT?
Information and communication technology (ICT) is defined as
a diverse set of technological tools and resources used to
communicate, and to create, disseminate, store, and manage
information (Blurton, 2002).These technologies include
computers, the Internet, broad- casting technologies (radio and
television), and telephony.

5.  "All formal and informal activities and experiences that help
to qualify a person to assume the responsibility as a
member of the educational profession or to discharge his
responsibility most effectively, Dictionary of education, as
sighted by Sajith (2011).
 In the context of this presentation, teacher education refers
to professional education of teachers towards attainment of
attitudes, skills and knowledge considered desirable so as
to make them efficient and effective in their work in
accordance with the need of a society at any point in time
(Osuji, 2009).

6. TeacherTraining Institutions (TTIs) in UgandaTeacherTraining Institutions (TTIs) in Uganda
Uganda has both public and private TTIs where teacher
training ranges from
oECD Programs
oGrade III certificate
oDiplomas
oBachelors degree
oPostgraduate Programs
oOthers (e.g. Proficient programs- CTEP)

7. Qualified
Profession
al Teacher
 Pre-service teacher education
Offered to someone who has joined the
course to become an educator but has
not yet completed training to be a
teacher. Pre-service teacher occurs
before teachers enter the profession
and/or take up employment in a range of
different education institutions (UNESCO,
2011).
 In-service teacher education
Received by already qualified teacher. It
includes all the fields of staff developments
training such as, orientation, refresher
courses, workshops and seminar pertaining
to pedagogy (Nansamba & Nakayenga,
2003)
Teacher
Education

8. The National ICT policy and Origin
The adaptation of ICT in Education in Uganda is a result of the
United Nations and the Millennium Development Goals MDGs
announced at its fifty-fifth general assembly. The developing
countries had to reach certain standards by 2015. Target 18
asserts “In co-operation with the private sector, make available
the benefits of new technologies, especially information and
communications.” This is measured by the number of computers,
cell phones or telephones per 100 persons (United Nations, 2000
and infoDev & ITU, 2011).
The 2003 report of the sub-committee on ICT and Governance
presented at the Third Meeting of the Committee on Development
Information (CODI III) encouraged African countries, to complete
their national ICT policies.
Uganda being a signatory to the MDG had to abide by putting in
place the national ICT policy framework in 2003 (Torach et. el,
2009).

9. The National ICT Policy DevelopmentThe National ICT Policy Development
• The national ICT policy development process in Uganda
initiated in 1998, came out with the national ICT policy
framework that was approved in 2003 (Uganda Ministry of
Works, Housing & Communications, 2003)
http://www.researchictafrica.net/countries/uganda/2003_Uganda_National_ICT_Policy_Fra
.
• Among others, the policy recognized the strategy to
incorporate ICT in educational curricula and provide for
equitable access by students at all levels (Uganda Ministry of
Works, Housing and Communications, 2003).
• The policy also observed that Ministry of Education and Sports
was in process of formulating an ICT Policy for Education that
it hopes to adopt so as to drive ICT training in schools and
other institutions under its mandate.

10. Educational ICT Policy (2006)
a) Review curricula at primary, secondary and tertiary levels in
order to improve the quality of education and introduce new
learning methods;
b) Improve the level of investment of educational ICT equipment,
software as well as broadband connectivity of primary, secondary
and tertiary institutions;
c) Impart teachers with the necessary ICT skills in order to enable
them use ICTs in the teaching and learning process;
d) Establish educational networks for sharing educational
resources;
e) Promote the growth and implementation of e-learning; and
f) Create opportunities and providing assistance for the
disadvantaged, people with special needs, women and the youth to
acquire ICT skills.

11. Implications of ICT Policy to Teacher Education
curriculum in Uganda
•Adequate government budgetary supplement to Teacher Education
•Need to review TTIs curriculum to include ICT areas.
•Providing the necessary infrastructure e.g comp labs, studios, workstations.
•Developing ICT policy at TTI level; at the moment KyU has developed one
•Continuous staff training is a key to achieving modern ICT skills. It is therefore
necessary for the academic staff and TTIs to emphasize ICT staff refresher programs.
•TTIs in Uganda should explore collaboration and linkages with reputable institutions
and organizations abroad.
•TTIs in Uganda should also expand the area of income generation for sustainability of
ICT. Uganda needs to find more local sources of funding e-media at TTIs, as a
supplement to the foreign aid.
•Need for a strategy to provide student teachers with PCs at subsidized prices.
•Students’ loan schemes can also be initiated to enable students acquire personal
computers.
•

12. Implications (Cont..)Implications (Cont..)
• Need to sensitize students develop positive attitudes
toward the e-technology.
• Primary and secondary schools to engage their students
into a variety of ICT approaches in the academia to prepare
them for feature adaptation of ICT at TTIs.
• ICT teaching syllabus be developed to standardize the
teaching of in all TTIs.
• ICTs to be available to all students during the classroom.
• Mode of assessment be revisited.
• Delivery of in service teacher education be more of ICT
approach.
• Regular Power supply; since most of the gadgets are power
driven (generators, solar, ).

13. Though there are challenges in having ICT supported teacher
education in Uganda, there is much hope for success. The
presenter commends efforts of some TTIs that adopting an
ICT approach to their curriculum despite the constraints.
Thank you!!