Monday 12thAugust, 2019.
Theme: “Transforming Education for Responsible Citizenship”
Venue: St. Gonza Kagoma Primary School, Jinja District
The International Youth Day (IYD) 2019
Every 12th August of each year Uganda joins the rest of the world in the commemoration of
International Youth Day. The Day was declared following the recommendations made by
the World Conference of Ministers Responsible for Youth (Lisbon, 8-12 August 1998) and
approved in 1999 under the 54th UN General Assembly under Resolution 54/120 of the
General Assembly.
The commemoration of IYD around the world is intended to raise awareness about the state
of youth at all levels. It is a space where government, evaluates efforts and interventions made
to transform the lives of the youth in the country.
The theme: Transforming Education for Responsible Citizenship
The United Nations proposed the theme of the year as “Transforming Education” however
Uganda has embraced the theme as “Transforming Education for Responsible Citizenship’
to qualify it for national context. All actors are invited to connect with the National theme.
The theme highlights efforts to have quality education, make education more relevant,
equitable, accessible and inclusive for all youth, and contributing to overall transformation
that is desirable to achieving 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Goal 4 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) aims to ‘ensure inclusive and equitable
quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all’ by 2030 It further
highlights the 7 outcome targets to transform education and these include; Universal primary
and Secondary Education, Early Childhood Development, Equal access to technical,
vocational and higher education, relevant skills for decent work, Gender equality and
inclusion, Universal Youth Literacy and Education for sustainable development and global
citizenship.
Uganda’s vision 2040 and the National Development Plan II, further emphasizes the need
to improve the quality of education services if the country is to attain a middle income status.
The theme enjoins us to focus on an education and training system that is pragmatic; produces
hands on skilled people; imparts relevant soft skills; empowers the mind to think in an
independent manner; ensures civic competence; imparts financial literacy and liberates people
from dependency to creation of wealth and promotion of self-reliance.
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The theme also rhymes with the world iconic figure Mzee Nelson Mandela who observed
that “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” And renown
global management guru Peter Drucker who pointed out that “Today knowledge has power. It
controls access to opportunity and advancement.”
This is the education we so badly need to transform young people from being guzzlers of
wealth to creators of wealth; from being on lookers of developments taking place to being
active participants, change agents and engines for rapid growth and transformation.
The theme is equally in line with President J.F.Kennedy’s call of letting everyone think of
education as the means of developing our greatest abilities, because in each of us there is a
private hope and a dream which if fulfilled can be translated into benefit for everyone and
greater strength for Nations. It should be understood by all responsible citizens that education
is more than a luxury; it is a responsibility that society owes to itself and must provide
redemption to people and drive them out of the bondages of backwardness and ignorance.
It therefore makes very little sense and difference of how many University degrees or courses
a person may own. If he or she cannot use the acquired knowledge to impact positively on
Society. Our education must be transformative to both ourselves and the communities in
which we live.
Equally important, useful knowledge must be passed on like renown evangelist Bishop Hall
points out; “Seldom was any knowledge given to keep, but to impart; the grace of this rich Jewel is lost
in concealment.” You cannot, according to the Bible hold a torch to light the path and keep it
under the bed, ultimately, the aim of education should be to teach us how to think, how to
contribute towards social economic transformation rather than what to think.
Like Will Durant pointed out; “Education is the transmission of civilization.” Meaning civilization
must be passed on from generation to generation in order for education to have a meaning.
Conclusively, according to renowned writer T.S.Eliot; “It is in fact a part of the function of
education to help us escape, not from our own time for we are bound by that…but from the intellectual
and emotional limitations of our times.”
The wellbeing and prosperity of Nations and the young people is dependent more than ever
before on the quality of skills, that education and training can provide. Failing to meet this
need is a waste of human potential and economic power.
At such times, we are reminded that education is not only about making sure all children can
attend school. It is about setting young people up for life, by giving them the opportunities to
create or find decent work; earn a living, contribute to their communities and societies and
fulfill their potential. Ultimately, it is about helping nurture the work force needed to grow
our economies.
Impeccable evidence shows that funds spent on education generate 10 to 15 times as much
as in economic growth over a person’s life time. Where else do we need increased
investment? It is in education, education and education, skilling, skilling and skilling.
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Youth and Education
The Gender in Education Policy (2010) focuses on goals to enhance equal participation for
all in the education system, the promotion and provision of relevant knowledge and skills
equally to males and females, ensuring gender responsive planning, budgeting, programming
and monitoring and evaluation and also promoting an enabling and protective environment
for all persons.
The Uganda National Youth Policy (2016) underlies the issue of education and training for
the youth as an important factor for enhancing their productivity and chances of engaging in
decent work.
As such, we have witnessed significant increments in enrolment at all levels of education over
the past two decades from primary, secondary, tertiary and university education. Government
has put in place specific interventions to transform education in Uganda, some of them include the
graduate scholarship scheme, district quota government scholarships, Business, Technical
Vocation Education and Training (BTVET). All these are intended to increase the quality of
skills, equitable access to skills development provide relevancy to productivity development
and economic growth for citizens.
Despite this improvement, NDP II flags the inadequate quantity and quality of the human
resources as one of the seven major constraints to national development. This calls for
deliberate effort to adequately equip youth with relevant skills to mitigate the mismatch
between the skills provided in training institutions and the labour markets. Concerted effort
is required to attain desired levels of inclusion and to take bold steps to massively invest in
business and vocational training to improve the lives of young people so as to live a decent
life.
The Government of Uganda has embraced the Commonwealth Heads of Governments
(CHOGM) mandates and the 9th Commonwealth Youth Ministers’ Meeting (9CYMM)
recommendations in youth development for the country to consider transforming youth as
responsible citizens through;
1. Professionalization for Youth Work
Through education and training, we are entreated to promote the professionalization of youth
development work by facilitating youth work as a skilled profession.
The youth workers will continue to develop and deliver policies and programmes to support
young people who continue to face challenges, including exclusion, stereotype,
marginalization and unemployment and therefore a need to recognize and build the capacity
of the youth work sector to help the youth grow and contribute to socio-economic
transformation and become responsible citizens.
The 9CYMM) resolution (Kampala 2017) states;
“…ministers agreed to promote youth work as a profession through education and training for sectors
where youth engagement is important but not limited to policy, health, youth ministry and social
work…”
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2. Youth Participation
Youth participation in transforming education for responsible citizenship ensures that their
rights are promoted, their voices are heard; inter-generational knowledge is shared,
innovation and critical thinking are encouraged at all ages to support transformation and
change among the youth and communities at large.
The Government of Uganda has put in place legal and institutional frameworks to enhance
participation and involvement of the youth in decision making and national development.
The youth are now able to engage and participate in leadership through the National Youth
Council structure, representation in Parliament and other leadership positions. Youth
programmes and interventions are in place to uplift their economic and social status for
national development.
To this end, Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, was last year appointed the Commonwealth
Youth Ambassador to promote the youth agenda, including promotion of quality education
and youth participation.
‘The Duke of Sussex (middle) after a Roundtable Policy Discussion’, hosted by Commonwealth
Secretary-General Patricia Scotland, attended by ministers and senior officials responsible for youth
development in the Commonwealth countries”
Prince Harry said:
“It’s up to all of us to ensure young people’s voices are heard and their interests protected,
but it’s the people who have the power to shape policy lies for young people – all of you –
that must champion them at the highest levels.” He emphasizes youth participation and
engagement in the development processes and that the young people should be given space
to express their passion.
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