Heritage education in the school curriculum
As part of our cultural heritage education agenda for the youth, CCFU is working with the National Curriculum Development Centre (NCDC) to ensure aspects of culture which have been incorporated in the new lower secondary school curriculum are taught and learned as effectively as possible.
Training teachers to deliver the “Culture and Ethnic Groupings in East Africa” in the new curriculum
CCFU conducted a series of training sessions with teachers of History to enhance their capacity in delivering on the topic, “Culture and Ethnic Groupings in East Africa”. The key objectives of the training included enhancing the teachers’ understanding and appreciation of culture and related concepts such as cultural rights; and exposing them to the rationale and teaching methodologies in the new secondary school curriculum. CCFU is starting with schools which have Cultural Heritage Clubs, so that we build on already existing efforts.
The training sessions score on two counts: CCFU shares content on culture, and NCDC introduces the teachers to
the pedagogics of the new curriculum. The teachers are also equipped with the knowledge, skills and literature resources to orient their colleagues in their respective schools and vicinities. As always, community museums which are our coordinating hubs for the heritage education programme support these teachers with information and space while cascading the learning.
In May, 2021, CCFU conducted the training session for Eastern and Northeastern Uganda, in Mbale, with teachers drawn from Abim, Iganga, Jinja, Mbale, Moroto, Napak and Soroti districts. This training was officiated by by Dr Grace Baguma, the NCDC Director. This training session follows two similar ones for the Central and Western regions in Masaka and Mbarara, respectively.
CCFU and its Heritage Education Programme
In 2011, CCFU initiated a programme to enhance heritage education in Uganda, recognising the role of the young generation in promoting cultural rights and heritage. CCFU now supports more than 150 “School heritage clubs” by training teachers and providing materials. CCFU also supports the development of cultural heritage resources in the vicinity of the selected schools by supporting 15 community museums and their outreach activities. The Foundation has also been engaging the National Curriculum Development Centre (NCDC) to integrate culture into the new national curriculum for lower secondary schools. For more information, see HEP resources.