Makerere University launches basic swahili curriculum

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Makerere University has launched a basic curriculum for the teaching of Swahili Language to beginners. The programme will be conducted by Makerere University’s Julius Nyerere Leadership Center.   

During the launch, the acting principal of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHUSS), Makerere University, Prof Josephine Ahikire said, they have a curriculum that they have been using to teach Swahili at the School of Languages Literature and Communication (SLLC), and that it will be interrupted by the newly introduced curriculum.

Ahikire explains that the curriculum at the SLLC, is broad, and it will continue to be used in the teaching of students who want to learn Swahili in-depth, for them they take a long time, which she says is not the case with the newly launched basic Swahili curriculum.

“Under the basic Curriculum it only takes 3 months for someone to complete the Swahili programme and he gets his certificate,” she adds.  

The reason behind this basic curriculum is to reinforce the Swahili Language among Ugandans and Africans in general. In her explanation she says, this is more like giving people a handbook of Swahili vocabularies such that when they go to countries like Kenya and Tanzania, they do not feel out of place when the language is being spoken.

Acting principal College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHUSS), Makerere University

“Besides that, Swahili is going to Join the United Nations (UN) Languages”, Prof. Ahikire adds while emphasizing how relevant Shwahili has become for them to devise quicker means of equipping its vocabularies to the people.  

Everyone is interested in learning Swahili and can be taught under this newly launched basic curriculum, irrespective of whether he has ever gone to school or not.

The Swahili basic curriculum was launched at Makerere University during the celebrations of Julius Nyerere at 102 years old.

The High Commissioner of Tanzania to Uganda, Maj. Gen. Paul Kisesa Simuli attended the launch as a Keynote Speaker. While addressing the celebrants, Maj. Gen Simuli said, that even though Nyerere died, he is still living within his legacy of promoting good leadership and unity.