The impact of integration of secular education in catholic founded schools in Uganda: A case study of Kalungu District

Abstract

The study aimed at identifying the impact of the integration of secular education in catholic founded schools in Kalungu district Uganda. The study was guided by the following specific objectives; the performance of catholic schools before the integration of secular education, evolution of catholic education in Kalungu district and assess the relationship between morals and academic performance of catholic schools in Kalungu district. The study also aimed at finding out the education and moral performance of catholic schools after being taken over by the government. The research employed both qualitative and quantitative approaches. It was carried out in four catholic founded secondary schools in Kalungu district. The target population were mainly head teachers, teachers, founding members, local council leaders, education officers, catholic secretariat officials, students, amongst others. The study employed three sets of questionnaires and interview guides. The major findings of the study were that there has been a general decline in the academic performance and discipline since secular education was introduced in the catholic founded secondary schools. These catholic secondary schools have developed with well-established school structures but do not support Catholicism to the maximum. The challenges are that secular education has overshadowed catholic norms and teachings in these schools where catholic education was supposed to be the basis of education. The study established that the integration of secular education in catholic schools has had both positive and negative consequences on catholic education. The positive impacts of this integration were that the government took over these schools and improved on their structures as well as providing the necessary funding and regulatory framework to make them not only efficient but also relevant to learners, by producing holistic graduates. The negative impacts were that the original intention and goals of establishing the catholic schools was completely abandoned as little or no time was given to catholic education and no chaplains were deployed in the schools by the government who took over. The study recommended that since the numbers of Catholics are knowledgeable about the religion, such people who have reached up to senior six should be sponsored from a common fund to train as teachers so that they can impact catholic morals. The catholic administrators in schools should work hand in hand with the central government to accept payment of such teachers from the UPE/USE funds. Most schools lost catholic teachers after the introduction of free education which did not cater for Catholicism and its programmes.