Tag: Two Sessions

Prioritising Education as A Strategic Blueprint for National Economic Transformation

Posted on by Musiime George

An August 2024 collaborative policy review by the Pan African Coalition for Transformation and the Economic Policy Review Center made several recommendations for enhancing the effectiveness of the revised Lower Secondary Curriculum. Among other things, the paper recommended continuous teacher training, all-round stakeholder engagement and publisher regulation to ensure learning materials stay in tune with curriculum objectives.

While both the policy paper and curriculum revision sought to align education with National Development goals. As a nation, we still have a lot to do and can draw meaningful insights from thoughts shared by Chinese President Xi Jinping during a group meeting of the 3rd session of the 14th National Committee of the CPPCC.  In his guidance, president Xi stressed the role of education in supporting scientific and technological advancement as well as talent development. He also emphasized the critical role of the three, not just in modernization but also economic development.

The United Nations (UN) acknowledges that aligning education with sustainable development goals (SDGs) is critical for creating a more equitable and sustainable future for humanity. However, in Uganda like many countries in the global south, access to quality education still is a privilege. Moreover, as this trend persists, the implication is that the country’s ability to produce the necessary talent to drive economic transformation stays handicapped in the least. A survey by the Daily Monitor from 2024 indicated that out of 400,000 graduates annually only 113000 (28.25%) made it into gainful employment.  The major cause for this trend according to the national bureau of statistics, was a skills gap.

However, even where a shortage of jobs is faulted, it can still be linked back to the little progress being made in advancing science and technology. Sadly, this transmutes into a gap in the national development gains through an over dependence on imported talent and technology, all due to the shaky educational foundation. A lack of capacity in these areas breeds chronic dependence on imported technology and talent, significantly blighting the country’s investment in Research and Development, not to mention skills development.

On the other hand, there’s a plethora of other risks that come with this kind of chronic deficiency in self sufficiency. Indeed, these risks can range from economic vulnerabilities, a lack of innovation and skills development, weakening education systems, endangered sovereignty and other geopolitical risks.

Whereas imported skills and technology might be an imperative in the beginning, their gains can only be short-term. On the contrary, sustainable growth takes investment in education, research and development as inroads to domestic capabilities. This is how China was transformed into a self-sufficient economy, lead the world innovation, STEM education et cetera…deliberately investing in its education. In fact, while this might seem sufficient， president Xi committed to increasing education funding by 5% (174.44 billion yuan) this year. This is a reminder that to be comfortable in the present is to curtail progress and invite stagnation and as a country we must aspire for better if we must attain our goals of modernization.

This is why introspection on these thoughts must provide an impetus to acknowledge that there can be no scientific and technological progress, innovation, let alone talent cultivation if the garden of education is left unattended. More so, as a country, there is a need to track the talent and skillset of Ugandan not only to know what skills we have but also to ensure maximum utilization of these different skills spread across the population. Otherwise it is a huge disservice to the country when nationals are contributing towards economic transformation in other places, the same skills we desperately need at home. By defining the countries development goals, the medium and long term, we can determine the skills we need and enhance our capacity to produce people with these skills. It is no different with how China for example is able to produce more than 3.5 million STEM graduate, it takes a long term strategy. Therefore, aligning education with both development goals and gaps in the labor market, will also help uphold the value of education. This ensures that there are quantifiable benefits to attaining an education, something that has been slowly receding in Uganda over the years. Unless we are able to achieve this, we shall continue to demean our education to a point where people no longer see any value in having a degree for example and this is nothing but self-sabotage.

The Law of the Dark Forest. Africa’s initial interaction with the outside world was purely characterized by exploitation and domination. However, this has slowly been changing following China’s win-win outcomes, and later, the measures to drive industrialization, and talent development. Unless we develop domestic capacity, we can only be at the mercy of others, especially if mutual benefit and win-win outcomes are not top of their agenda. If Everyone else has a gun pointed at our economic transformation goals, then only by tailoring our education to meet these goals can we be in a better position to achieve them. Therefore, as we work to improve our economic growth, we cannot overlook the role of a sound education as a pathway to productivity growth, innovation, competitiveness, skills development, economic resilience et cetera. And only after we settle these, can we switch our emphasis towards engaging with the rest of the world on more favorable terms.

As we learn from President Xi’s advice, meaningful economic transformation must begin with a sound education system. A sound educational foundation paves the way for; the advancement of science and technology, innovation, skills development, and self-sufficiency. However, self-sufficiency must be viewed not as an end, but as a means towards building domestic capacity the same way China focused on developing domestic capacity before opening up. Therefore, as a country seeking economic transformation, we must acknowledge the self-sufficiency supports our aspirations as chronic decency is against them. In addition, self-sufficiency is not possible in the absence of innovation, skills development, scientific and technology advancements which are anchored on a sound education system. Thus to pursue economic growth and modernization while ignoring the need to invest in education is like wishing to arrive at the destination without making the journey. Unless education is put at the center of our development strategy, all we can hope to achieve is nothing different from what we have achieved in the past.

George Musiime is a Research Fellow, Development Watch Centre.

georgemusiime@dwcug.org

 

President Xi’s Stand on Education and Talent Development at China’s Two Sessions 2025 is Welcome

Posted on by Allawi Ssemanda

At the ongoing China’s Two Sessions 2025, Chinese President Xi Jinping made very important commitments as he stressed the importance of education in development. President Xi underscored the role of education in supporting scientific and technological development and talent development which he described as important for national and individual development.

This, President Xi who is also the Secretary General of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the chairman of the Central Military Commission noted that will result into what he described as a steady stream of talent, unlock individual potential and ensure their abilities are fully utilised thereby contributing to efforts of driving Chinese modernisation.

In a meeting of the third session of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) – CPC’s top political advisory body, Xi emphasized that to “develope a high quality educational system that meets public expectations, the key lies in deepening comprehensive education reforms.” This he observed can be achieved through granting schools greater autonomy in decision-making, and refining school management systems. The Chinese leader stressed this will contribute to “nurturing a new generation of “capabale young people with moral grounding, intellectual ability, and work skills.”

On science, technology and innovation support, President Xi stressed that to “achieve a sound interaction between independent sci-tech innovation and self-reliant talent training,” education plays a major role and emphasised the need to “refine mechanisms for aligning talent cultivation with the needs of economic and social development. Noting that “boosting education and sci-tech and talent development is a shared responsibility,” Xi urged CPPCC to embrace the idea of leveraging its role.

While one can argue that the two sessions 2025 is a China affair, if critically analysed, full implementation of two sessions policies does not only benefit China but Africa and the entire world stand to benefit from China’s two sessions’ blueprint. This is premised on the fact that today, China is the world’s second largest economy and that almost all countries in the world are benefiting from China’s growing economy and technology growth. As observed by International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) Division Chief researcher Jean-Marc, “the very fact that China is also bigger, it means it has a bigger footprint in the rest of the world.  An increase in the trade surplus might be small from the Chinese perspective, but it could be big from the perspective of the rest of the world.”

Also, considering China’s stated vision of building a community of shared future for mankind in the new era, one can safely argue that a successful China means a successful world. This is more so especially that other major countries are preferring nationalistic and isolation policies; withdrawing foreign support in favour of home development.

For Africa, the two sessions deliberations came at a time after China and African countries  elevated their relations to “all-weather China-Africa Community with a shared future for a new era.”

Also, African countries including Uganda stand to benefit from China’s reformed education that will see sci-tech, innovations and talent development given emphasis. It should be recalled that over the years, the Chinese government has offered tens of thousands of scholarship opportunities to African scholars. The education support China offers to African countries ranges from university degree scholarships, both short and long term for professional and government financials as well as funding research and innovation programs.

Taking Uganda alone as an example,  by the end of 2021, China had provided over 5,000 short-term training opportunities for Ugandan talents, covering a wide range of fields; among others agriculture, medical care, public administration, computer science and infrastructure.

If critically analyzed, Africa-China cooperation in the education sector is strategic and mutually beneficial. Partly, this is because African countries’ capacities to give tertiary and higher education to their energetic and young population are constrained.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) notes that Sub-Saharan Africa is one of the largest regions in the world with a small tertiary education enrollment ratio which stands at 9.4%. This number is  far below the global average of 38%. This figure means that with its 16% of the global population, Africa contributes just 1% of global research.

Relatedly, with China’s promise during the 2024 Forum on China Africa Cooperation where Beijing promised to continue supporting African countries’ education sector, Xi’s remarks at the ongoing two sessions 2025 offers Africa hope that the continent’s scholars will continue benefiting from China’s education. That said, China’s education support to African countries is timely and will go hand in hand in helping the continent make positive strides in  her scientific research capabilities which is also key among the goals of African Union’s Agenda 2063.

The writer is a senior research fellow at the Development Watch Centre.

China’s path to comprehensive rural revitalization: Challenges and solutions

Posted on by Allawi Ssemanda

On 25th February 2021, Chinese President Xi Jiniping announced “complete victory” in the Country’s fight against extreme poverty. As the world louded China’s great success, President Xi observed; while his country had succeeded in eliminating absolute poverty, “the most challenging and arduous tasks we face in building a modern socialist China in all aspects remain in rural areas” and announced China’s strategy to ensuring rural development calling it a “major task in realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.”

If critically analysed, rural revitalisation can largely be achieved by ensuring comprehensive strategies that target revitalization of rural areas which oils wheels of modernization especially in the sector of agriculture – the common characteristic of rural area.

Five years since China announced its success against extreme poverty, this opinion highlights some strategies Chinese government, enterprises and people – largely farmers can take – shoulder to shoulder in efforts to realise rural revitalisation as the country marches towards its second  centenary goal of “building China into a great modern socialist country in all aspects.”

First, ensure enough and steady power supply. Energy is a major driver of socio economic transformation of any society. It makes innovation and both small and large scale industrialization take place. Such small and large small scale industries come with among others important multiplier effects like employment opportunities which is key in the fight against poverty.  The development of the solar industry Jinzhai county in Anhui is credited for transforming the province’s 218 villages once registered as poverty stricken, helping lift out of poverty 89,700 people that were registered as poor. The World Bank argues that China’s remarkable economic growth is partly possible due to the country’s capacity to produce and supply energy to meet the country’s growth of energy consumption, thanks to the Chinese government and enterprises that continue to focus on energy development, especially clean energy.

Supporting and encouraging start-ups in rural areas is another strategy that can easily spark rural revitalization. Through start-up programs in rural areas, people can be empowered to gain entrepreneurial skills which is key in starting and running successful businesses. In Nanhai, Foshan, Guangdong province for example, local government with Chinese enterprises introduced “double nurturing” and nurturing industries, started entrepreneurial training targeting rural people helping them with start-up projects which registered significant progress in the development of small scale industries and individual business. Consequently, over 526 entrepreneurial leaders were trained with skills helping them to start their businesses. As a result, the county’s efforts of empowering rural poor was realised with over 5,087 people registered as poor being lifted from poverty.

Supporting local amenities and tourism is another strategy China can embrace to achieve Beijing’s goal of rural revitalization. China is blessed with countless natural resources such as lakes, rivers and mountains almost across the country. Save using such rivers and other water sources for agriculture and, natural resources such as water sources and mountains, if improved, can be used to attract  both local and international tourists. As President Xi Jinping noted in 2005, “lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets.” Tourism sector can be magic. For example, other than paying to access tourist areas, there are other multiplier effects that come with tourism development. Improved security, infrastructure especially roads, hospitality sector like hotels which all contribute to employment opportunities and source of income are associated with the sector! In Shibadong village in Xiangxi, Hunan Province, after adopting the strategy of using local tourism as a way of fighting poverty, the village registered success that it was deregistered from the poverty register as locals income grew from 1,668RMB to 12,128 RMB.

Relatedly, China can use its huge size, big population and many ethnicities, to fast track its rural revitalization programs by encouraging ethnic integration and supporting them to use their local resources to bring about meaningful social economic development. Such strategies can help in revitalization of rural areas with minority ethnics where people proactively engage in production work than mindsets of “waiting, depending, and asking for help.” This strategy worked for example in Towankh Magget village (village 7), in Xinjiang Uygur, where government embarked on empowering locals through project of “one brand in one village” which saw the use of local resources to develop black fungus production, and a walnut deep-processing plant which all have contributed to social economic development of the area while leaving locals lives improved.

The other very important strategy that can help China in realising rural revitalization is putting people at the centre of everything. When people learn that whatever is being done is for their good and development, they all embrace and support such efforts. Development becomes easy as people are involved and willing to do anything possible to support what they know is theirs. As President Xi observed while opening 20th National Congress of the CPC; “this country is its people. The people are the country…bringing benefits to the people is the fundamental principle of governance.” Put differently, it’s clear to Chinese leadership that to achieve great rejuvenation of Chinese nation, the most difficult tasks are still in the country side. Considering discussed strategies and more relevant ones, we can safely argue that China is on the march as the country eyes realising her centenary goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all aspects.

Editor’s Note: This article was first Published by China Global Television Network – CGTN.