Experts push for skills-based curriculum at all education levels

Most countries, especially in the developed world, are adopting competency-based curricula which focus on the ability of the learners to apply knowledge and skills rather than accumulating knowledge in classrooms. 

The National Curriculum Development Center (NCDC) says it’s high time Uganda re-conceptualized the various curricula to meet the 21st century demands for socio-economic transformation, writes YUDAYA NANGOZI.

Over the past decades, education has adopted teacher-centered approaches promoting rote learning and tasking learners to memorize a large amount of information to expand their knowledge.

Teachers then assess the learner’s knowledge by using tests and examinations at the beginning of the term, mid-term, and end of every term.

According to the director of the National Curriculum Development Center (NCDC), Dr Grace Baguma, the knowledge attained through learning and teaching programs in schools periodically gets less efficient and is prone to insurmountable sophisticated societal challenges.

“This calls for a re-conceptualization of curricula to allow the effective realization of the learners’ potential. It is obvious that we need to promote knowledge and skills that once acquired, will place our learners in a competitive position. This is what happens all over the globe when countries make reforms in their education systems, and Uganda is no exception,” Baguma said.

She added that a conservative curriculum, driven by high-stakes examinations, has outlived its relevancy today and dramatically contrast the changing demands of the 21st-century workforce.

Baguma raised the concerns at the first international conference on trends in curriculum development held recently at Speke Resort, Munyonyo under the theme: Re-conceptualizing curriculum in the 21st century for socio-economic transformation.

The conference, which combined both physical and online presentations, was organized as part of the activities to celebrate 50 years of the NCDC. Participants reflected and hypothesized on what and how learning in Africa and beyond, should meet the demands of the ever-changing world.

The centre received at least 100 abstracts from more than 13 countries. Of these, 90 abstracts were accepted and 50 full papers were submitted and published in the book of abstracts after undergoing an anti-plagiarism test.

The NCDC deputy director in charge of research, consultancy, and library services, Dr Richard Irumba, shared some observations from the various papers.

He said the results from the papers showed that the use of digital resources in the classrooms has the potential of improving teaching and learning significantly. However, there’s still low adoption of technology in learning and as such, more investment should be made in teacher training to promote ICT usage in schools.

“As part of the recommendations, education partners still need guidance on suitable 21st-century methods of teaching and learning. The design in many countries is still limited to the 2H [head and hands] content as opposed to the 4H [head, hands, heart, and health] content. The major impediment to 21st-century curriculum implementation is lack of a consensus on what comprises the 21st-century skills to produce a holistic individual,” Irumba said.

21st CENTURY DEMANDS

In response to the current trends, education systems the world over have developed frameworks with increased emphasis on developing the skills, knowledge, and attitudes necessary for success in the 21st century.

Educationists observed that the prevailing demands of society outweigh the human capital potential to manoeuvre the day-to-day challenges.

Baguma emphasized that this calls for new thinking, taking cognizance of the emerging fields of knowledge, particularly those related to science and technology and the social economic implication of lifestyle change.

“The new thinking, will not only allow for a new shift to ensure that what is learned [content] and how it is learned [pedagogy], are aligned to the prevailing societal needs but will permit a much more dynamic design so that government appreciates the need to finance education as a resource that will move countries to the level of self-sustainability for socio-economic transformation,” she said.

In 2008, the co-director of the Harvard Change Leadership Group, Tony Wagner, proposed seven survival skills that students need to prepare for 21st-century life, work, and citizenship.

These are; critical thinking and problem solving, collaboration and leadership, agility and adaptability, initiative and entrepreneurialism, effective oral and written communication, accessing and analyzing information, and curiosity and imagination.

The secretary general of the Organization of Educational Cooperation (OEC) headquartered in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Sheikh Manssour bin Mussallam, agreed with the narrative of education systems adapting to the changing needs in the sector.

Mussallam, who presented as one of the four keynote speakers, reiterated that the role of a teacher is to be a facilitator in a classroom, and that doesn’t render one obsolete.

“We need technologies that can be adapted to the country’s needs and stimulate the creative capacity of youths. We don’t want to look like passengers in the fourth industrial revolution but its shapers and drivers,” Mussallam said.

He, however, expressed dismay at the increasingly low funding of the education sector in Africa which is likely to affect the uptake of technologies.

“This is a problem shared throughout our countries. We can speak of education reforms and developing technologies but all of these will be beautiful plans that are never implemented if we don’t give ourselves the necessary means and resources to make this a reality,” Mussallam said.

He added: “The bad news is that Uganda alone cannot do much to fund reforms in its education sector. However, our countries combined can do something. Our governments have their hands tied and most of the service goes to debt service.”

The OEC is proposing to coordinate with member states to achieve debt relief which will give them the necessary fiscal space to invest in education and other critical sectors for the development of the countries. He said countries also need to tap into low-cost financing instruments that are more solid and sustainable.

EDUCATION MINISTER SPEAKS

As the NCDC comes of age, the first lady and Education minister, Janet Museveni, said the 50 years pose greater responsibility and expectations on the institution as well as the government.

She said much as quality education is the source of quality human capital development that ought to drive transformation in societies and nations, it cannot have a static education.

“Our people not only demand but also deserve a better service. Uganda needs to commit by preparing to provide education to our children that can give them the core knowledge and skills as well as the capacity to enable them to become lifelong learners who are fully equipped for an unpredictable future. The education they are receiving today requires adjustment in some areas, to suit the expectation of the world as they go forward,” Museveni said.

She commended the curriculum centre for a conference theme that provoked deep thoughts that may bring desperately needed solutions for the country.

Meanwhile, Museveni has also cleared the NCDC to review the primary curriculum next financial year with support from the Global Partnership for Education (GPE). She insisted that the primary curriculum needs not only to be enriched with contemporary knowledge and information but also to make it enjoyable for both teachers and learners.

Although a curriculum is meant to be reviewed every five years, NCDC last reviewed the overloaded primary curriculum in 2007 – citing a lack of funds.

Following the review of the now competency-based lower secondary curriculum whose pioneer students are now in senior three, the NCDC also recently embarked on revising the A-level curriculum. The aim is to have a more skill-based curriculum by the time the current S3 students advance to senior five by 2025.

nangonzi@observer.ug