SUB-MATH, ICT EXAMS FOR NEXT YEAR

 By: PATIENCE AHIMBISIBWE
KAMPALA- Pioneer Form Six candidates of sub-math and ICT subsidiary subjects will, for now, not sit for their final examinations after the government deferred the papers to next year.

According to the minister of Education, Ms Jessica Alupo, many schools have, until now not acquired equipment to facilitate the sitting of the exams.
This has been compounded by the fact that most schools have no access to power, lack computers and teachers.

As a result, this has forced the government to push exams for the two papers to next year when the next lot will sit.
The minister’s remarks come after critics said the government wasn’t ready to implement the policy.

Ms Jessica Alupo, minister of Education

“It is true ICT was made compulsory but the policy was adopted with the view that computers would have been distributed to all schools by the time pioneer students sit for their papers, but we didn’t have the intervention,” Ms Alupo told Daily Monitor in an interview.

“For this academic year, sub-math and ICT will not be part of the subjects to determine any candidates’ results.”

Decision taken
“We have taken a decision that they would not be compulsory until next year. We hope by the end of next year, all schools would have been taken care of.”

Earlier, the Makerere University academic registrar, Mr Charles Ssentongo, said the Public Universities Joint Admissions Board had issued a new criterion to candidates following the directive scrapping four principal subjects.

The maximum points a candidate could score reduced from 25 to 20.
However, the latest development leaves candidates with a maximum of 19 points to join any of the five public universities on government scholarship.
Ms Alupo said the ministry would still have to consult National Council for Higher Education and National Curriculum Development Centre to see how they could exclusively train ICT teachers.

WIND BLOWS OFF HEALTH CENTRE ROOF, LEAVES PATIENTS STRANDED.

As the saying goes “misfortune does not come in singles”. Reknown for facing several disasters like drought,and heavy floods, heavy winds have also now set in and hit Karugutu Town Council mercilessly. The winds blew the roof of Karugutu Health Centre IV amid afternoon showers yesterday 27. Nov.13. Karugut HCIV is the only Health facility in the district. Patients  were left helpless and stranded as the medical staff and police looked on. This calamity has left many patients at the mercy of God. The district officials however have pledged to do all they can to address the situation.

The heavy wind deposited the roof about 150 metres away from the building

The General ward whose roof was blown off

Patients helplessily sit outside the troubled Ward

Disastrous day what next?

Patients on the watch

ACCESS TO INFORMATION FACILITATES POVERTY REDUCTION.

RIC-NET in partnership with Development Research and Training (DRT) with support from Development Initiative (DI) are implementing a project; the use of data/information for poverty alleviation in the seven Districts of the Rwenzori region. Under this project RIC-NET is documenting voices and case studies/ success stories of individuals and groups who have used information to  improve their livelihoods or reduce poverty in their areas.

Research indicates that access to information can cause advancement of socio-economic rights and development. In line with this, the partnership therefore also aims at pointing out the relationship between access to information and poverty eradication in the Rwenzori region. Approximately twenty persons are going to be documented; they include Civil and Political leaders, farmers, students, business persons, and CSO representatives. A video documentary on their experience in the use of information to improve their livelihoods will be shared with the different RIC-NET stakeholders through the different platforms like Information Centres, Youtube, community meetings among others.
To kick start this project, DRT and RIC-NET staff on 27th Nov.13 visited some members of Bwera Information Centre (BIC) in Bwera and documented their experiences.Thrilling and turning point stories were shared and captured on video. Members shared the information and livelihood challenges they had before, what they did to overcome them-search for information, where they got it from, how they applied it and the positive impact this information has had in their lives/work. Here below are photos from the documentation exercise;

Astalhuzi a plant doctor and progressive farmer shares how information on management of Banana Bacterial wilt has reduced the spread of the disease and also increased her yields and incomes.

Astalhuzi a plant doctor and progressive farmer shares her experience on how information has boosted her goat rearing project and increased her incomes.

Alex Thabulenga explains how information to grow mangoes&manage their pests&diseases has improved his yields.

Alex Thabulenga sharing how Apiary has boosted his income.

 Baluku John, a teacher, and farmer  sharing how nursery beds -tree planting has facilitated poverty reduction in his life.

The BIC Coordinator Mr. Mapoze sharing how the IC accesses & shares inform with the community&the milestones registered so far..

RIC-NET Executive Director explaining RIC-NET's milestones in sharing information for poverty alleviation at RIC-NET Office.