Friday 28 March 2014

Business Coalition for Education in Uganda



Business Coalition for Education in Uganda


Program for a National Business Coalition for Education

Introductions
Trade Association Forum of Uganda (TAFU) Business Coalition for Education is a collaborative program of education and the business community, influencing the improvement of Uganda’s education system that is producing responsible citizens who contribute in a nationally and globally competitive workforce. It will comprise of business associations, companies and Uganda’s CEOs who share a common goal of improving Uganda’s Education.  There has been a long time need to engage consumers in a social mission of education to generate awareness among consumer bases and be able to channel financial resources from consum­ers to the cause, while also generate income from cause marketing for the companies.

The Global Business Coalition for Education will foster cooperation where shared interests apply across the business community and promote networking and cohesiveness that can mitigate these inefficiencies and maxi­mize collective impact and business benefits.
TAFU Business Coalition for Education will leverage the unique assets and interests of the business community to be active and supportive actors in realizing the vision of all children having access to and acquiring the basic skills and knowledge needed to be productive mem­bers of society.
Mission
Establish collaborations between the business community and education leaders, directly and through business associations to make contributions to Uganda’s education and economic future.
TAFU will work closely with education professionals to support, in a constructive manner, selected education initiatives and developed resource partners to help frame direction for input and advice.
TAFU Business Coalition for Education will have the following functions which will reduce the risk for companies to engage in education, lower the transaction costs, address the systemic causes of the learning crisis and institute outcomes-based results.
1.      Provide strategic guidance on the best ways to support education in developing countries derived from evidence-based research and practice.
2.      Provide networking opportunities to connect individuals within the business com­munity and bridge the business community with other actors in the education sec­tor, including government, donor governments, development partners, civil society and the research community.
3.      Promote a single voice from the business community on national education.
4.      Streamline opportunities to support government in the development and delivery of strong national education plans.
  1. Advocate for effective Public Private Partnerships in Education
  2. Advocate for effective Education Policy that ensures career ready graduates.
Why should the business community care about Education?
More and more businesses are operating in emerging and developing economies as multina­tional companies expand their reach and new companies are started. Expanding operations in developing and emerging markets raises the importance of quality education systems. There are five cross-cutting impacts of the global learning crisis that hinder companies’ efficient and effective operation in the global economy.
-          The education crisis is starving companies of access to skilled workers, perpetuating a global talent gap.
-          Low levels of education undermine global markets, limiting growth and profit potential.
-          The global learning crisis stifles worker productivity, given education’s high correlation with health outcomes.
-          Faced with low levels of learning, companies struggle in uncompetitive operating en­vironments where it is more difficult to conduct business.
-           By not investing in education, companies forgo direct benefits such as profit from educa­tion innovations, positive brand recognition and improved government relations.
Initially Programs will be developed around key issues derived from the baseline survey:
Benefits for Participating Companies
TAFU Business Coalition for Education will strengthen the business community’s engage­ment in education and allow it to serve as a force for results-oriented change in the education sector. Collectively, companies will benefit by:
      Reducing the inefficiencies by spreading the investment risk, lowering startup and transaction costs, creating economies of scale, leveraging investments, and making investments strategic and results-oriented.
      Narrowing the global talent gap in developing and emerging economies.
      Educating consumers so they can earn higher incomes and accumulate more disposable income to spend on products and services.
      Increasing the effectiveness, health and well-being of employees and their families.
      Creating more competitive business environments for attracting and retaining labor.
      Increasing the ease of doing business in developing and emerging markets.
      Improving government and community relations.
      Increasing profits from educational innovation.
What Companies will be doing?
Companies can bring a significant amount of talent, resources and voice to the national education challenge. But the inefficiency in utilizing these resources to maximize outcomes is shocking. While companies are actually doing a lot, the individualistic nature of engagement in education prohibits any progress on a systemic level. While the business mentality of competition and rivalry in the marketplace dis­courages business from cooperating in the social sector, no single business can tackle the national education crisis and the “go it alone model” has a high engagement cost with few real outcomes. Collectively, the business com­munity loses out. The challenges associated with the current modus operandi of corporate engagement in educa­tion are counterintuitive to good business practice.
In order for this vision to become a reality, the following groundwork needs to be established:
1.      High-Level Leadership: The education community needs high-level leadership from the public and private sector to convene and convince the business community that educating young people in the country is in the best interest of business. This leadership should serve as chairpersons for TAFU Business Coalition for Education in Uganda.
2. High-Level Corporate and Political Support: A core contingent of CEOs—representatives of the private sector at the highest level—must come together to reaffirm the impact of the national education crisis on the bottom line and call for united action from the business community to advo­cate for and contribute to addressing the crisis. The founding companies should represent various sectors.
3. Planning Period: Upon the high level call from the business community for a National Business Coalition for Education, a secretariat must be formed to identify and map the activities of member companies, identify existing initiatives and efforts in the national education sector, and develop an operational plan for the coalition. TAFU Business Coalition for Education needs to be estab­lished as the central hub for the business community to engage in education. Tiers and benefits of corporate membership will be established to meet the needs of companies at various stages of supporting education in the country.
4.   Gain Legitimacy in the Education Sector: The business community needs to be seen as a le­gitimate actor in the national education space through a unified voice. The secretariat should establish partnerships with existing initiatives in national, multilateral and civil society organizations, rally to support a new National Partnership for Education, and join discussions and activities to garner collective support for the strengthened the Education for All and Millennium Development Goals, and keep education, most importantly access and learning, on the post-2015 global development agenda.
The time has come for the business community to acknowledge that the lack of learning is not an only an education crisis, but a business crisis. It affects the bottom line and the current efforts to support education fail to address the root causes of poor learning or create sustainable change to generate shared value for business and society. By developing a strong constituency in the business community for national edu­cation, the private sector can be a serious actor in the national education space and direct its efforts in ways that support and enhance government-led national education plans and existing initiatives in the education sector in a more effective and efficient manner. A value for learning in the country needs to transcend every aspect of a corporate strategy in order for the company to reap all of the benefits of education in the nation. The time has come for a strong, supportive, informed and unified voice from the business community in support of quality education for all young people. Initially Programs will be developed around key issues derived from the national education baseline survey.

Thursday 27 March 2014

Memorandum for Private Schools and MOE Partnership Program




Memorandum for Private Schools and MOE Partnership Program

Memorandum of Understanding for Private Schools

In pursuance to the above Public-Private Partnership between the Ministry of Education and Uganda National Association of Private Schools and Institutions, a memorandum of understanding is proposed as follows;

1.      UNAPSI shall follow the Guidelines for the Establishment of Private Schools issued by the Ministry of Education.
2.      The Executive Board shall approve the appointment of the Head of the UNAPSI.
3.      UNAPSI shall ensure that all the minimum requirements in terms of both facilities and human resources are in place for the running of private schools and institutions.
4.      That UNAPSI shall assess the standard of education in private schools and institutions from time to time and report to the Ministry of Education.
5.      Private schools and institutions shall be subject to inspection by the UNAPSI Monitoring and Support Division and Report to the Ministry of Education.
6.      UNAPSI shall provide any information as part of regular reports or for specific studies conducted to the Ministry of Education.
7.      UNAPSI shall not engage in any activities which are anti-social or against national interest and the policy of the Government of Uganda.
8.      UNAPSI will issue annual membership certificates to all private schools and institutions, and a membership fee will be paid as agreed upon.
9.      UNAPSI will provide Accreditation Services to all member schools and institutions.
10.  UNAPSI will establish Regional Offices and Mapping for administration purposes.
11.  Carryout of surveys and research studies among private schools and institutions as need arises.
12.  Liaise and report to the Ministry of Education Department of Monitoring and Evaluation.
13.  Ensure the implementation of the National Educational Polices and Curriculum as provided by the Ministry of Education in all private schools and institutions.
14.  Provide good faith mediation when disputes arise within private schools and its staff, students, parents/ Guardians, and report to the Ministry.
15.  Register all private schools and institutions including those not registered with the Ministry of Education (e.g. without center No.) and create a Database for them.
16.  Advocate for and on behalf of the private schools and institution to the Ministry of Education and other Government entities.
17.  Offer supervisory and inspection services to all private schools and institutions in collaboration and reporting to the Min. of Education Monitoring and Evaluation Department.


National Education Week , Uganda



National Education Week (NEW)

The National Education Week (NEW) is intended to promote education in Uganda and also as a measure to emphasize the importance of education to our communities and lives.

National Education Week (NEW) will spotlight the importance of providing every child in Uganda with a quality public education from kindergarten through college, and the need for everyone to do his or her part in making education great.  Our annual theme, Quality Education: A Basic Right and Our Responsibility, reflects the Association's calling upon Ugandans to provide students with quality education so that they can grow, prosper, and achieve in the 21st century.
The 1st annual National Education Week will take place this year.  Each day during the week will spotlight a different aspect of school life:
  • Monday,
Open House Day
From national commemorations to local community events, millions of Ugandans celebrate education.
  • Tuesday,
Parents Day
Schools invite parents into the classroom for a hands-on experience of what the day is like for their child.
  • Wednesday,
Education Support Professionals Day
Individuals who provide invaluable services to schools are recognized for their outstanding work.
  • Thursday,
Educator for a Day
Community leaders are invited to serve as educators to get a glimpse at a day in the life of a school employee.
  • Friday,
Substitute Educators Day
This day honors the educators who are called upon to replace regularly employed teachers.

National Education Week Toolkit
·  Activity Ideas
· Background Information / Fact Sheets
· Media Tips
· Promotional Material

National Education Week— 2012—presents all Ugandans with a wonderful opportunity to celebrate education and honor individuals who are making a difference in ensuring that every child receives a quality education. The weeklong celebration features a special observance each day of the week. They include:

· Monday: Open House day
· Tuesday: Parents Day
· Wednesday: Education Support Professionals Day
· Thursday: Education for a Day
· Friday: Substitute Educators day

To help you plan these celebration days, we have developed this toolkit with background information, activity ideas, and tips for working with the media, as well as resources, templates, and promotional materials.
We hope you will join in our National Education Week efforts by using this toolkit to create unforgettable events and activities that will highlight the importance of bringing together everyone in the community - educators, parents, students, and public figures - in an effort to build great education. Together, we can make a difference.

Activity Ideas

Toolkit 1: Activity Ideas
Get a head start on planning your National Education Week by going through these ideas to create a special celebration that honors the individuals who are making education great for every child. Toolkit's promotional materials will be developed for the National Education Week posters, fact sheets, newsletter articles, press release and media alert templates, proclamations, and lots more. These materials will help you spread the word about your event.


Toolkit 2: Fact Sheets

These fact sheets will provide audiences with background information about National Education Week and its individual days.
  • National Education Week Fact Sheet
  • Invite Parents to School Day Fact Sheet 
  • Education Support Professionals Day Fact Sheet
  • Education for a Day Fact Sheet
  • Substitute Educators Day Fact Sheet
Toolkit 3: Media Tips

·  A good relationship with the community's media is critical to the success of this National Education Week project. Building relationships means contacting producers, editors, and reporters at national television shows, radio talk shows, newspapers, and magazines.
· Persistent media relations efforts will generate local and national print and broadcast publicity. You can successfully deliver your local National Education Week message by crafting an effective strategy. Sometimes that means "out-of-the-box" thinking—perhaps something with an unconventional news hook.
· Tailor these ideas to best fit your National Education Week promotion needs.
Toolkit 4: Promotional Materials

· Guidelines on designs and sizes of promotional materials will be provided on how you can effectively promote the National Education Week (NEW) events and activities.