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Include renewable energy syllabi in secondary, varsity curriculum
What you need to know:
- Although Uganda has ample energy resources that include hydrological and other renewable resources, it is still facing an extensive level of energy poverty, like the majority of the other African countries
As of 2019, Uganda’s population is underserved within the energy sector and it is amongst the top 20 with 26 million people not having access to electricity. It should be noted that 66 percent of Ugandans are multidimensional energy poor, 33 percent are severely energy poor and the average deprivation score is 51 percent.
Although Uganda has ample energy resources that include hydrological and other renewable resources, it is still facing an extensive level of energy poverty, like the majority of the other African countries.
Despite the government’s efforts to invest in huge hydro-power projects like Karuma Dam, Uganda has the lowest electrification rates in the world and most citizens lack access and connection to the national grid, primarily due to an overreliance on biomass sources, limited access to off-grid and high power tariffs, among others. It is still grappling with providing reliable, cost-effective electric power to meet the demands of people.
The government needs to train a pool of competent experts in the renewable energy sector to come up with new innovations to solve the energy crisis. These experts can in turn embark on mass sensitisation.
In addition, the National Curriculum Development Centre must introduce renewable energy curriculum syllabi in lower and higher institutions of learning to meet the growing population and save people’s lives.
The renewable energy curriculum syllabus will equip people with practical skills and enable them to become job creators to reduce energy poverty.
There are many opportunities in renewable energy alternatives which the country needs to discover to fight the energy crisis.
As clearly stated in the youth report 2019 by the Centre for Policy Analysis, the report indicated that the majority of them demanded more practical subjects and over 50 percent of them revealed that the education they had received had not prepared them for the available opportunities in the labour market. Therefore, the introduction of a renewable energy curriculum syllabus will equip students with competent skills to come up with innovations in the energy sector that will create more jobs for the country.
Therefore, introducing a renewable energy curriculum in institutions will make an excellent showcase for the benefits of energy transition. It will also provide people with an on-site learning experience, produce job creators, and help the country get clean, affordable, and sustainable energy services.
Olive Atuhaire, Kampala
[email protected]
