Uganda Education Political
Uganda
History, Politics, Education, and Economics
Uganda: History, Politics, Education, and Economics
Uganda is one of the poorest countries in the world. The 20th century has seen years of political strife and persecution in Uganda. The economy has fluctuated from good, to bad, to improving, but is still no more than the agricultural economy established by Britain. The education of Ugandans, though improving, is still not good enough to help the people raise themselves up from their impoverished levels.
History of the 20th Century to Present Day
Uganda's history has been a tumultuous turntable of governments. Starting with the British protectorate of the late 1800's, the country has seen the coming and going of one ruler after another. According to the Country Watch (2007), it was not until World War II that African representation was seen in the Legislative Council, Uganda's first national legislature created in 1921. Uganda did not see independence from British control until 1962, at which time, according to the Country Watch (2007), Milton Obote, the leader of the Uganda People's Congress (UPC), was elected as the first prime minister of Uganda.
This new government was the beginning of many different types of self rule in Uganda. According to the U.S. Department of State (2008), discontent with Obote's rule lead to a military coup, in 1971, lead by Idi Amin Dada, who created a dictatorship, and in his eight years of power he produced severe economic decline, social collapse, and was involved in massive human rights violations, including the murder of more than 100, 000 Ugandans. Amin was sent into exile by the Tanzanian army and Ugandans he had exiled. After Amin's exile, the Uganda National Liberation Front (UNLF) returned Uganda to a semi British form of government with the adoption of a ministerial system and the creation of National Consultative Commission (NCC), a quasi-parliamentary organization. This government saw two interim presidents, Yusuf Lule, and Godfrey Binaisa. Both of these presidents, according to Country Watch (2007) were remove due to disputes over presidential powers, and in the end were replaced by a military commission chaired by Paulo Muwanga, until elections in 1980 returned the UPC to power under President Obote.
Obote's return to power was of questionable legitimacy and lead to guerilla war by Yoweri Museveni and his National Resistance Army (NRA), according to Country Watch (2007). In 1985, Obote was removed from power by Lieutenant General Basilio Olara-Okello and his Acholi troops, and a military government was set up and lead by General Tito Okello, who opened negotiations with the NRA for a cease-fire, according to Country Watch (2007). In 1986, the NRA seized control of Kampala, the capital of Uganda, and “organized a government with Museveni as president and dominated by the political grouping called the National Resistance Movement (NRM or the “Movement”), according to U.S. Department of State (2008).
The NRM established a system in which all Ugandans were assumed to be members of the NRM, and elections were contested on the basis of a candidate's personal qualities instead of his party affiliation. Political parties were not illegal, but they were not allowed to organize public gatherings or to organize election campaigns. This lasted until 2005 when a “national referendum resulted in the adoption of a multiparty system of government and the subsequent inclusion of opposition parties in elections and government,” according to U.S. Department of State (2008). Through all of this Museveni has maintained his position of president and has brought about relative stability within the country and economic growth.
The current structure of the government, as a result of Museveni's and the NRM's commitment to decentralization and democratization, has produced “a unique political and administrative structure called the Local Council (LC) system,” as stated by Suzuki, I. (2002). This system, according to Golooba-Mutebi, F. (2004), has failed due to non-participation by villagers at the primary level. Golooba-Mutebi, F. (2004) asserts, “where political culture dictates obedience and deference towards people in positions of power and authority, years of oppressive rule have rendered avoidance of politics the sensible way to ensure personal safety and survival.” The political turmoil, that Uganda has endured, has brought about the avoidance of direct participation of Ugandans in their government.
Uganda's Educational System
The educational system in Uganda is a reflection of the current government. According to White, C. T. (2006), “as a result of decentralization, authority over primary education is now devolved to the District level.” The current percentage of age 15 and over Ugandans who are literate is 66.8%, and of these 76.8% are male and 57.7% are female, according to CIA (2008). This number is up from 62% in 1993, as reported by U.S. Department of State (2003). The U.S Department of State (2008) reports the current attendance rate for primary school enrollment is 89%, which is up from 56% in 1995, according to U.S. Department of State (2003). When you take into consideration the population increases from 23 million in 2000, according to U.S. Department of State (2003), to 30.2 million in 2008, as reported by the CIA (2008), the rate of educated and those receiving an education has increased dramatically. This dramatic increase is due in part to the Universal Primary Education (UPE) policy of free primary schooling introduced in 1997, as reported by Suzuki, I. (2002). According to White, C. T. (2006), school enrollment for primary education rose 70% in 1997 and by 2003 an estimated “7 million Ugandan children were enrolled.” White, C. T. (2006) also states that the government is attempting to improve access to secondary schools.
“Ugandan schoolchildren often find themselves in schools that hold, even openly inculcate, values incongruous with their families,” according to Owens, V. (2005). Owens, V. (2005) states that some Muslim children may have to attend morning chapel in Protestant schools, and that Muslim schools may require students to wear veils and full shariah dress. Ugandan parents hold education in such high regard that they will often send their children to schools that instill values that differ from their own, as reported by Owens, V. (2005).
Economic Relationship with History and Culture
The most important sector of Uganda's economy is and has been agriculture. The major exports for Uganda are cotton, tea, tobacco and most of all coffee, “of which Uganda is Africa's second leading producer” according to the U.S. Department of State (2008). Agriculture has been the lively hood of most Ugandans, 80% of the workforce according to the CIA (2008), since the British came to Uganda and used it for cash crops, such as cotton, and later after Uganda gained economic independence coffee production was increased, as reported by Country Watch (2007). The U.S. Department of State (2008) asserts “chronic political instability and erratic economic management has produced a record of persistent economic decline,” which has left Uganda as one of the world's poorest countries, but since the Museveni government gained power in 1986, Uganda has seen economic growth. Country Watch (2007) reported that between 2003 and 2006, real GDP (Gross Domestic Product) growth averaged 5.5%.
Conclusion
The people of Uganda are faced with many challenges in the global community. They are still adjusting to a stable form of governance that they have not seen since being a protectorate of Britain. Their leaps in education are still far from what is needed to be an active participant in modern globalization. The need for a more diverse economy is being worked towards, but is still a far way off. For the Ugandans to become more involved in the global community, they will need to increase secondary and higher education, to become more active within their government, and to diversify their economy.
References
CIA. (2008, January). Central Intelligence Agency World Factbook Uganda, Retrieved July 8, 2008, from MAS Ultra - School Edition database. https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ug.html#Intro.
Country Watch, (2007, July). Economic overview. Uganda Country Review, 75-99. Retrieved July 3, 2008, from Business Source Complete database. http://www.countrywatch.com/.
Country Watch. (2007, July). Political overview. Uganda Country Review, 9-73. Retrieved July 5, 2008, from Business Source Complete database. http://www.countrywatch.com/
Golooba-Mutebi, F. (2004, October), Reassessing popular participation in Uganda. Public Administration & Development, 24(4), 289-304. Retrieved July 5, 2008, from Business Source Complete database.
Owens, V. (2005, December). Values disparity and academic achievement among Ugandan adolescents. Journal of Beliefs & Values: Studies in Religion & Education, 26(3), 311-315. Retrieved July 8, 2008, from Religion and Philosophy Collection database.
Suzuki, I. (2002, June). Parental participation and accountability in primary schools in Uganda. Compare: A Journal of Comparative Education, 32(2), 243-259. Retrieved July 12, 2008, Sociological Collection database.
U.S. Department of State. (2003, June). Republic of Uganda. Background Notes on Countries of the World 2003, 1-9. Retrieved July 5, 2008, from Academic Search Complete database.
U.S. Department of State. (2008, May). Background note: Uganda. Background Notes on Countries of the World: Uganda, 1-8. Retrieved July 3, 2008, from Business Source Complete database. http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/2963.htm.
White, C. T. (2006). Uganda. Our World: Uganda, pp. 1-7. Retrieved July 8, 2008, from TOPICsearch database.
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