The deputy Director of the Internal Security Organisation(ISO), Lt. Col. Emmanuel Katabazi urged the media not to judge the success of Universal Primary Education (UPE) solely based on the first grades scored at PLE.
He emphasized that the primary goal of the government was to reduce illiteracy levels significantly. Katabazi highlighted that the true success of the UPE Programme lies in practical outcomes, such as a woman being able to recognise the importance of immunising her baby due to the education she received in school.
“Or a Ugandan citizen being able to read and understand signposts,” he remarked, adding that education for all Ugandans is of utmost importance.
He thus challenged the media to track the academic careers and lives of students who score top grades, focusing not only on their achievements in school but also on how they contribute to solving social-economic problems in Uganda.
Lt. Col. Katabazi urged the media to promote issues that contribute to the country’s transformation, particularly in terms of the economy, rather than perpetuating negativity about existing programmes.
He cited examples such as the use of imported pencils in UPE schools despite having professors and engineers in the country who could manufacture them locally.
Additionally, Katabazi suggested investigating why Uganda still relies on books with foreign content, even with highly educated individuals capable of creating relevant content locally.
The meeting with Media practitioners aimed to enhance the understanding of the role of ISO among journalists and to foster a closer working relationship in service to the country.
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