By Kefa Senoga
Following a recently signed partnership agreement between Uganda Christian University (UCU) Vice Chancellor, Prof. Aaron Mushengyezi, and Graham Yoko, the CEO of the Accelerated Education Enterprise (AEE) in Durban, South Africa, UCU is set to launch a study program designed to train teachers for schools following the Accelerated Christian Education (ACE) Curriculum.
According to Dr. Mary Kagoire, the Dean of UCU School of Education, UCU signed the MoU with AEE because the latter manages the ACE curriculum in Africa, including Uganda.
“Institutions throughout Africa that implement the ACE curriculum receive their teaching and learning materials, as well as support, from AEE,” Kagoire explained.
AEE offers Christian education that inspires faith and guides children towards a meaningful relationship with Christ, with the intention of children being secure in their identity and better equipped to face the challenges of the modern world.
Kagoire said the ACE curriculum is a personalized system of instruction, where the learners are given instruction materials they use to study at their own pace. The instruction materials have integrated biblical values..
AEE has been providing Christian education solutions to schools and homeschools since 1983 through globally-recognized curricula and education solutions tailored to Africa’s unique needs. It seeks to empower and impact Africa by delivering access to world-class Christian education solutions that are innovative and relevant to the continent.
According to Kagoire, every topic a child learns in the ACE curriculum has a related Bible verse. Being a university founded on Christian principles, AEE found it in a better position to support the faith-based program.
The implementation of the collaboration between the two entities will commence once AEE trains UCU teaching staff on how to instruct the teachers or facilitators of the ACE curriculum. After the training, expected by early 2025, UCU will start promoting the ACE-training diploma program they are set to design, before submission to the National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) for accreditation.
“We are also exploring the possibility of starting continuous professional training programs whereby in case of any adjustments or changes, we can keep on training the ACE teachers,” Kagoire added, noting that a working committee had been established to actualize the Memorandum of Understanding between UCU and AEE.
The diploma course will be available to already trained teachers, as well as individuals passionate about teaching.
“We want the teachers or experts in different skills because all we are giving them are the different pedagogical skills,” Kagoire explained, noting that the partnership comes as a significant step for UCU because it will be the first university to offer the program in Africa. And the university seeks to offer services to Uganda and the whole of Africa, especially through online classes. However, Kagoire said for that to happen, they will need support in terms of computers and the necessary software for online classes.
According to Kagoire, the number of schools partaking in the ACE curriculum is increasing because many parents are interested in their children receiving a biblical foundation in their education. Uganda is among the more than 20 countries in the sub-Saharan Africa with the ACE program. Currently, 67 schools are under the ACE program in the country.
There is an increase in demand for ACE schools, especially among many of the church schools, including All Saints Cathedral School in Kampala, which is now an ACE school.
ACE runs from pre-school up to grade 12 and AEE oversees the testing and assessment of the learners enrolled in the curriculum. However, in Uganda, there is an arrangement in place where the Uganda National Examinations Board does the “process of equalization.”
Kagoire further remarked: “Now that they have handed the bit of training and developing of facilitators to us, we shall see a lot of potential in growth.”
