The Ministry of Defence and Veteran Affairs desires the Uganda Nationwide Kiswahili Council to be hosted underneath the Ministry of Schooling and Sports activities as the acceptable establishment to advertise Kiswahili language.
The Undersecretary within the Defence Ministry, James Mutabazi mentioned their place is premised on the idea of the ministry’s place in curriculum growth and their total supervisory operate over the training sector.
“The Uganda Nationwide Kiswahili invoice, 2023 doesn’t clearly specify who the minister for Kiswahili will probably be; it doesn’t spell out the domicile ministry to host the council. The council could be most suitably hosted underneath the Ministry of Schooling and Sports activities given its function in language training and curriculum growth,” Mutabazi mentioned.
Mutabazi mentioned this whereas showing earlier than the Committee on Gender, Labour and Social Growth on Wednesday, 21 August 2024 the place they introduced their submission on the Uganda Nationwide Kiswahili Council Invoice, 2023.
The Invoice was tabled in Parliament on 28 February 2024 for the First Studying. The invoice seeks to advertise the utilization of Kiswahili language in administrative, judicial and legislative course of as a medium of communication by native governments.
It additionally seeks to determine the secretariat of the council to be headed by an government secretary, present for funds and auditing of the Council, and supply for making of bylaws to control the affairs of the employees of the Council.
Led by the State Minister for Defence and Veteran Affairs, Hon. Sarah Mateke, the officers mentioned the Schooling Ministry would work in unison with different authorities our bodies such because the Nationwide Management Institute (NALI) in Kyankwanzi which already runs Kiswahili programmes. “Kiswahili is without doubt one of the areas of examine at NALI; in case you meet anyone who has educated from there, he has studied and has been assessed in Kiswahili,” mentioned Maj. Gen. Henry Matsiko (UPDF Consultant).
The Defence Ministry additionally proposes that the council that intends to determine the Kiswahili Fee needs to be checked out as a unifying issue for the varied ethnic teams in Uganda and in the end, the unity of the eight-member East African Group.
Kyotera District Girl Consultant, Hon Lucky Rose Nantongo supported the proposal for the Schooling ministry to host the Nationwide Kiswahili Council, cognizant of its affect over faculties which have a large viewers. “The ministry has the mandate over curriculum growth proper from nursery to school. I believe they’ll do a greater job on selling the language, they’ve the largest viewers contemplating the variety of youngsters in faculties, when youngsters be taught language at an early age it is rather doable that they may take it up,” she mentioned.
MPs requested the ministry to justify its illustration on the Kiswahili Council as proposed within the invoice. “We have to know your relevance as representatives on the Council. What are you going so as to add to the council and what could be your enter?” requested Nakaseke Central County MP, Hon. Allan Mayanja.
Hon. Harmless Kiyaga (NUP, Mawokota County North) sought to know the military’s methods used to advertise Kiswahili which has since been one of many military’s languages of operation. “We’re deliberating on the methods of how Kiswahili will be promoted to the inhabitants. I wish to understand how the military has managed to have Kiswahili as their language? Will we impose it on individuals and can we make it obligatory in faculties?” Kiyaga requested.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Parliament of the Republic of Uganda.
