Uganda Broadcasting Corporation’s (UBC) television program Good Morning Uganda recognized World Teachers’ Day with an informative discussion on the theme “The Role of Teachers in the Heart of Education Recovery.”
The broadcast, hosted by UBC anchor Robert Kirabo Nyonyintono, examined the evolving role of teachers and the importance of an ecosystem approach that bridges school, home and community to better prepare students for the modern workforce and to be contributing citizens in their communities. The program aired live on October 5, 2021, with a national reach of over four million viewers.
As part of a month-long global education advocacy from October 5 to November 8, 2021, Global Peace Foundation representatives and ambassadors joined the program to speak on the topic “The Role of Teachers in Transforming Education Globally.”
In commemoration of Uganda’s 95th Independence Day, the program also looked at Uganda’s education system through the lens of pre- and post- colonization, the country’s strengths, and its means to transform its education sector.
The evolving role of teachers
Recognizing that the teacher’s role is crucial to a student’s outcome in the twenty-first century, education experts say there is a need for the role of teachers to evolve–to nurture and instill core values to guide and develop students’ skills and prepare them to be future ready. Twenty-first century skills sought by employers can be taught to students alongside the cultivation of core values and character to guide these skills in solving the many challenges in Uganda.
Global Peace Foundation Vice President for Education Dr. Tony Devine explained the value of a transformative educational ecosystem approach, engaging multiple education stakeholders in the public, private and social sectors—all providing real world inputs for the holistic development of students.
The program also discussed teacher agency, where teachers have the leeway to exercise their creativity to initiate bottom-up innovation for classroom and whole-school transformation. Because the world is changing so rapidly, it is essential that students and educators become lifelong learners to continuously maintain the needed skills in a changing workplace. In this regard, teachers can become their own best professional developmental resource through increased collaboration and teachers’ teams.
Global Peace Foundation Peace Ambassador Milton Kambula looked back at the education system of Uganda during pre-colonization and found that peace within the country has allowed innovative ideas to flourish. Peace increases enrollment and breaks the chain of inequality. The increase in enrollment enabled teachers and the nation to build cross partnerships towards the creation of a competent workforce.
Uganda’s youth, with 70 percent of the population under the age of 30, represents the best resource for the development of the nation. According to the Minister of Public Service Uganda, the top priority of Uganda is to develop values and skills of the youth.
For more information on global efforts to build education networks and infrastructure to address twenty-first century needs, visit:
OECD Future of Education and Skills 2030
https://www.oecd.org/education/2030-project/
World Teacher Day – UNESCO
https://en.unesco.org/commemorations/worldteachersday
Broadcast Youtube Link
LIVE: GOOD MORNING UGANDA AGENDA || OCTOBER 5th , 2021