The Former Commissioner of Education and Sport now Chair Person (UNEB) Uganda National Examinations Board Mr. Fagil Mandy has called on the government to support teacher - training institutions in order to improve quality of education in the country.

Mr. Fagil was speaking during a Teacher Exchange Conference (which brings in Educators from Northern Uganda, The US and Canada) organized by Invisible Children at Kakanyero Hotel in Gulu Municipality last weekend.The Theme of the Conference was “A Better Education, A Better Future for Our Children- The dynamics of teaching effectively”

He said that there was a need to offer support in terms of explaining the benefits of Education to parents as their attitudes towards education has changed as a result of the prolonged war which contributed to the collapse of education in northern Uganda.

Mr. Fagil said that there is need to let the children know the maximum benefit of education, and that there is also need to understand that not every child who goes to primary or secondary school comes out as a success.

He cautioned head teachers who supervise a relaxed regime at their respective schools that they are causing the failure of their learners and schools. 

“I want to warn you teachers who are here to make sure that late coming for both teachers and learners in school is not encouraged, I understand that some parents send their children to the garden first in the morning, then they go to school at 10.00am, this must stop,” he said. 

Mr. Fagil said that he has been carrying research for fifteen years collecting data from about 20,000 parents in Uganda on the subject of managing their children’s education at primary and secondary school better, and the results painted a grim picture. 

He said that there was lack of discipline, knowledge to earn money, knowledge about the world, acquiring the essential emotions of success and developing love for self, other people, the country and God. 

Mr. Fagil being the guest speaker of the conference encouraged the school head teachers present and the teachers to incorporate co-curricular activities in the day to day class room learning of the students. 

Participants developed active learning strategies that they learnt from Mr. Fagil with the hope of making use of them at their various schools.