Amidst escalating cultural ignorance and moral decay, learners from St Joseph Nabingo Girls Primary, Grace Primary Mengo, Mamtaz Secondary School, and Central College Kawala are urging the government and cultural leaders to prioritize the promotion of cultural practices to uphold societal values.
Through ongoing debate sessions organized by the Uganda National Cultural Centre’s (UNCC) Heritage Department, the learners have expressed their concerns, emphasizing that neglecting cultural practices is the primary cause of moral decadence in society today.
The debate motion states, “Ignoring our cultural practices is the main cause of moral decadence in our society today.”
Participants include members of heritage clubs from the aforementioned schools.
Hannington Mugabe, chairperson of Mamtaz Secondary School’s Heritage Club, stressed that for a comprehensive understanding and consistent practice of cultural values, the government and cultural institutions must enforce cultural teachings from the grassroots level.
“cultural teachings should start from nursery school and be integrated into all school curricular”
Mugabe further emphasized that instead of relying on the internet to learn about other cultures and behaviors, cultural institutions should harness the internet to promote and teach cultural norms and values.
Mrs. Maureen Mutoni Kiyaga, Heritage Officer at the UNCC, explained that the organization conducts such activities in schools and communities to fulfill its mandate of promoting and preserving culture.
“Through school culture and heritage clubs, we organize debates, cooking activities, and inter-school competitions to showcase the uniqueness of our cultures and encourage young people to appreciate and embrace them,” she said.
The UNCC also empowers young people to practice cultural skills and earn a living through projects that teach crafts-making from cultural products like baskets, mats, beads, and bags. Besides neglecting cultural practices, learners identified corruption, violence, and disregarding religious teachings as additional causes of moral decadence in society.
Robert Musiitwa, the head of Public Relations at the UNCC, expressed that UNCC are happy partners with schools in promoting cultural heritage among the young generations.
“As custodians of our nation’s rich and diverse cultural legacy, we believe that educating our youth about their heritage is vital in instilling a sense of identity, pride, and unity besides patriotism,” he said
He echoed Mugabe’s idea of integriting cultural education into the school curriculum.
“we call upon Ministry of Education to fully integrate cultural education into the school curriculum, ensuring that students from all regions gain a deep appreciation for Uganda’s cultural diversity. We’ll be implementing a series of programs designed to engage the young people both in school and out of schools including providing hands-on experiences with cultural artifacts, performances, and storytelling sessions,” he said
The debate, which began on July 12, will conclude next week with students from Church of God Secondary School and Kawaala High School sharing their views
