A delegation from the National Curriculum Development Centre (NCDC), led by the Director, Dr. Grace K. Baguma, met with the head of the State House Investors Protection Unit (SHIPU), Col. Edith Nakalema, for an interaction on the role of character formation and skills development in Uganda’s socio-economic transformation.
During the meeting, held on 13th June, 2025, Col Nakalema, the host, observed the need to nurture skills early in a child’s life and throughout their journey of learn.
“Can we have our children from primary to do something that they are interested in? When we develop these children in the line they want, of course we shall have positive results,” she said, with concern over the erosion of morals in society, which she attributed to neglect in homes and schools.
Dr. Baguma underscored the need to equip learners with relevant skills and values that respond to the demands of the labour market and contribute to national development.
“Skills such as communication and problem solving are key in promoting investments and development at large. However, the persistent gap between the skills demanded by the labour market and those available within the workforce is still a big challenge,” she said.
She explained that the mismatch was a burden onto individuals, businesses, and government sectors, resulting in structural unemployment and underdevelopment. She also reaffirmed NCDC’s commitment to bridging the gap through ongoing curriculum reforms, which place greater emphasis on practical skills and character development.
“Under NCDC, we have the Skills Need Anticipation Committee (SNAC), tasked with developing a concept note on the anticipated skills strata for curriculum development over the next 20 years in the world of work,” Dr. Baguma revealed.
She added that early feedback from parents on the competency-based lower secondary curriculum was been encouraging, with reports of positive attitude shifts among learners.
The meeting also explored possible partnerships to strengthen Uganda’s skills development agenda. Dr. Baguma proposed a collaboration between NCDC and SHIPU to provide guidance on skills anticipation, an idea warmly welcomed by Col. Nakalema. Dr. Bruce Kirenga, the Principal of the College of Health Sciences at Makerere University, advised NCDC to ensure inclusive engagement of all stakeholders in the skills development process
