The Deputy Director General of the Internal Security Organization (ISO), Col. Emmy Katabazi, has strongly criticized Uganda’s inherited colonial education system, calling it a tool of enslavement rather than development.
Katabazi made these remarks while addressing youth from western Uganda under the topic “the Day of the Youth in the Revolutionary Struggle for Unity, Security, Peace, and National Prosperity” at Igongo Cultural Center, Biharwe, Mbarara.
Col. Katabazi highlighted the flaws in the that curriculum, arguing that it was never designed to benefit Ugandans.
“What took youth to school was to gain additional knowledge and skills that you can’t get at home—not to study Canadian Prairies,” he said. “Education should provide skills that create employment for you and others. Yet, we have a system where someone teaches entrepreneurship but cannot run a simple kiosk, yet they award degrees. Do you see the problem?”
He described colonial education as a deliberate strategy to keep Ugandans dependent, pointing out that it emphasized learning about industries and infrastructure in colonial cities while encouraging Ugandans to grow raw materials like cotton for export.
He also decried historical inaccuracies perpetuated by colonial narratives, such as claims that Europeans “discovered” Lake Victoria and the Rwenzori Mountains.
“How could someone discover Lake Victoria when the people of Busoga were already living there? How could they discover Mt Rwenzori when it can even be seen from Kisoro District? Ugandans were alive and knew these features—they didn’t need anyone to discover them,” he asserted.
Skills as the Key to Employment
Col. Katabazi emphasized that skills are the foundation of employment and a solution to Uganda’s unemployment crisis.
“You can’t be employed without a skill. Without a skill, you are unemployable. Unemployment can only end if we focus on skill development,” he stated. He urged the youth to prioritize acquiring practical skills that can lead to self-employment and economic independence.
Col. Katabazi also addressed the challenges facing the government’s Parish Development Model (PDM), which aims to uplift the poorest citizens by providing financial support. He expressed concern over reports that some parish chiefs are exploiting the program by demanding bribes from beneficiaries.
“The PDM is supposed to help poor Ugandans by giving them Shs 1 million. But instead, some parish chiefs ask for bribes of Shs 200,000, leaving beneficiaries with only Shs 800,000. These same Ugandans are required to repay the full Shs 1 million, which is both unfair and exploitative,” he said.
Col. Katabazi warned these corrupt officials, saying, “These chiefs are collecting illegal taxes even worse than URA. I urge them to stop before we come for them. Young people must support the government in eradicating these bad practices so we can leave a developed country in your hands.”
In his final remarks, Col. Katabazi called on the youth to cultivate patriotism and focus on productive activities.
“Love your country, Uganda, and work toward its development. Desist from unproductive habits, such as spending countless hours on social media. Instead, invest your time in ventures that contribute to national growth,” he advised.
He emphasized the importance of youth in shaping Uganda’s future and urged them to take responsibility for ensuring the nation’s prosperity.
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