Kiswahili language subject needs more time to be examinable – Education Ministry

By Ben Musanje

7^th July 2022

The Ministry of Education and Sports has noted that there are processes required to be taken in order to have Kiswahili language subject examinable at Primary Leaving Examinations –PLE, Uganda Certificate Education- UCE and Uganda Advanced Certificate Education –UACE.

This follows an approval by the Cabinet that the teaching of Kiswahili language in primary and secondary schools is made compulsory and examinable which is in fulfillment of the 21st East African Community summit directive for Uganda to adopt this as an official language of the community.

Now, addressing the media in Kampala, Dr Denis Mugimba the Education Ministry’s Spokesperson said that they haven’t established the exact academic year in which the Kiswahili language subject will be examinable since there are still many factors they have to sort out in order to implement the directive.

He says that the political leadership has to play its role in having this subject fully implemented though Kiswahili has been taught from Primary four to Primary seven and in both Senior One and Two but not examinable.

Dr Grace Baguma, the Director for National Curriculum Development Center –NCDC in the Ministry of Education and Sports says they are ready to implement the cabinet resolution after having recruited 70000 teachers of Kiswahili languages last year and procured textbooks and other scholastic materials for this lesson in over 58800 government primary schools.