Uganda’s pedagogical loopholes and a rude practicing environment make No Engineers!

For many years now, Engineering courses have been categorized as “those essential to national development” by the Government of Uganda. In their justification for listing engineering courses among those tenable on Government Scholarship through National Merit, they cite the need to traininnovative people who will create jobs other than look for them. The general perception in the Country is that an Engineering Degree is a straight through avenue to a great career success, great paying jobs and perhaps esteem! Our parents encourage us do concentrate on Math and Physics throughout secondary school to pursue a science course in University, probably Engineering. The problem is that as t turns out, the graduates are usually treated to a rude welcome to the service and industrial sector courtesy of skill relevance corruption!

What these parents and Government do not know is that the terminology of success is generic and dependent on prevailing national environment for a favorable career practice. Government knows but forgets that their job in translating human capital in the engineering domain into “economic development” goes beyond just listing the courses they study for government sponsorship. There must be favorable framework policies in the complete production and service cycles of a Ugandan Engineer. By ignoring this all-round necessity, government will at best, be simply making the courses popular other than productive! Uganda needs drastic pedagogical, industrial and investment policies reforms. These reforms should address issues ranging from content nature and delivery while imparting Engineering knowledge in Engineering schools to a competitive environment in favour of fresh graduates. Ugandan engineers should be trained to innovate more on the areas of Value Addition and recycling as this is where Uganda loses a lot of money. Instead of teaching a Computer Engineer all the Fourier series and “eighth-order” differentials, teach them Systems recycling and Green technology. Uganda disposes off lots of old computers and […….this article is still under edition]