Critically evaluate the Uganda National Examination Board’s UCE and UACE syllabus for Lit in Eng. a. What social-economic and political reasons justify the syllabus? b. If it were up to you, make a list of possible literary texts you would propose to be taught in Uganda’s secondary school with clear justifications: Athieno Eva, Nakalema Halima, Akatuhurira Agnes and Ndyamusiima Eunicent

Literature according to Words worth is the spontaneous flow of powerful feelings recollected in times of tranquility. Literature has been at this level (UACE) for as long as 1959 when high school level was introduced in Uganda. The structure of education is inherited from the British system where it has to be a principal subject in Uganda. At this level, Literature is divided into three different genres i.e. Prose and Poetry, Plays/Drama and Novels. Students are always presented with five questions (books) where they are expected to answer one context question and two essay form questions. The following are the UNEB aims of teaching in A-Level; To impart and promote sense of self discipline, ethical and spiritual values and personal collective responsibility and initiatives. In order for individuals to acquire and develop knowledge and understanding of the emerging needs of the society. To promote an appreciation and understanding of cultural heritage of Uganda and other languages. Learners to get exposed to a variety of oral and written works of literature from within Africa and the rest of the world. To develop interdependent personal skills, problem solving, critical thinking, decision making, researching and managing information systematically. In order for the learners to be able to effectively comprehend, interpret, analyze, illustrate and evaluate what has been presented to them. To instill and promote national unity and understanding of socio and civil responsibilities, strong love and care for others with respect to public property. Currently, some of the novels on the syllabus being read by the students at the Advanced level are; ‘’Heart of the matter’’ by Graham Greene. ‘’Blossoms of savannah’’ by H R Ole Kulet. ‘’House Boy’’ by Fernando Oyono and ’’Oliver twist’’ by Charles Dickens. The following are the socio economic and political reasons that justify the above novels on the syllabus in line with UNEB’s aims of teaching literature. HEART OF THE MATTER by GrahamGreene portraysa man who finds pleasure in making others happy despite of his own life. In the novel, the protagonist Henry Scobie is a British Police Commissioner stationed in a West African town during the Second World War. He is a devout Catholic who is unhappily married but feels obligated to fulfill his wife’s house needs and make her happy at the same time with the mistress Hellen. The novel is justifying the social life having been chosen to be on the UNEB Syllabus for A Level as discussed below; In the novel, Henry Scobie finds pleasure in making people around him happy on top of his own life. For example himself he is suffering from angina which makes him miserable but this does not stop him to look for the money to send his wife to a holiday since she does not like the city they are staying in. Graham satirizes the individualism portrayed by Scobie’s action in the books which helps the learners to know that at some point you need to be mindful of your own life though there are always people around who could need your help. Also the book lays out the moral aspect as being approved as one of the aims of literature put up by UNEB. As far as ones social life is concerned, society accepts and upholds moral uplift. In the novel, all the fine moral lines faced by these with faith are laid out. Scobie commits moral sins out of the need to help others though as he is introduced at the beginning of the novel as a devoted Catholic. This is seen when the wife comes back from the holiday she asks him to go with her to Church but Scobie feels guilty because of being adulterous in the absence of his wife. He decides to go with her;they take the Holy Communal even when he knows he is not supposed to but does it to please to his wife. Graham Greene satirizes religious hypocrisy portrayed in the book. Also, the wife who is always refered to as ‘’a good’’ wife who follows all the rules but loves no one but herself. All these help the learner to discover that religion and faith are not taken up by the outlook of someone but rather the inside part of him which is the soul so as to morally upright Gods presence in the society. In the novel, critical thinking is enhanced among the learners whereby one is expected not to judge or declare something or someone by the outlook expression but think critically as you observe. This is seen when Graham employs symbolism in his work through the outlook description of the hospital at the shores of the sea where the survivors of the Shipwreck are being received from. Outside the hospital, lights look bright and they are attractive but inside, people are dying due to various illnesses, some are from the shipwreck. Here irony is also employed whereby the brightness outside does not reflect what is inside. This brings out clear the saying ‘’All that glitters is not gold’’ and this helps the learners to first think about something critically before making a conclusion thus helping them to know how to live in the society. Graham Greene satirizes individualism as he puts it, ’the novel is about the price we pay for our individualism and the impossibility of truly understanding another person’’. This implies that Scobies attempt to be selfish to himself like his disease, angina, pleasing the two ladies at ago makes his life miserable. Also Graham says, ‘’point me out the happy man and I will point you out egoism, selfishness, evil or else absolute ignorance’’. This ridicules Scobie’s failure to discover the difference between fantasy and reality. Through this the learner is helped to understand that not every happy person is happy in reality but it’s all about avoiding individualism so as to be happy in one’s social life. In BLOSSOMS OF SAVANNAH by H R Ole Kulet. Culture is developed as a theme and this makes the syllabus valid to the aims since promotion of culture is a social concern that is addressed by H R Ole Kulet in his book. This is through the use of characters like Kaelo who are deep rooted to their Nasila culture which believes in circumcision of women that is Female Genital Mutilation for one to become a full woman in Limolelian culture. This in the same way relates to the Sebei culture in Uganda which makes the syllabus justifiable. Since the syllabus aims at promoting a sense of self-discipline ethical and spiritual value and personal collective responsibility and initiative. Resian a daughter of Kaelo struggles against the Female Genital Mutilation which is a threat of girls in Nasila culture. This is portrayed when she joins hands with the Emakererei in the struggle and together they get rid of the famous rich man with the barbaric character this is valid to the Ugandan situation as women emancipation is developed and encouraged in Ugandan by women through Female Organizations like FIDA to fight for women’s rights. This justifies the syllabus as it is socially acceptable. Due to the increased forced marriages in Uganda, the syllabus is valid as the novel introduces Resian who is being forced to marry a man older than her on the relationship based on her father’s greed for material that is money from the rich man (friend) however she runs away from the home in search for help from Emakererei who prospers her future back to school. This enables the individual to acquire and develop interdependence personal life skills, problem solving as per the aims of the syllabus about teaching literature which justifies the syllabus. In helping learners to relate with the social life, the novel, learners are able to observe the themes of male chauvinism as men because the central figures influencing decision making in the family which exploits Resian and Taryo chances of escaping the cultural oppression as their mother is undecided on what to do since she has no say. This relates with the Ugandan society where men tend to be superior. HOUSE BOY by Ferdinand Oyono is written in form of a diary by Cameroonian house boy Joseph Toundi.He runs from home to go work and stay with the white man Father Gilbert. After Father Gilbert’s death, he is taken to live with the commandant who was in charge of the surrounding colony. He undergoes various devious mistreatment and regrets having left his own family. The Novel addresses the issue of religious hypocrisy in the society. It is portrayed through father Verdermayer who does not portray the values off Christianity and Gods love.He tries to persuade Toundi to accept that he is a thief. Religious hypocrisy is also portrayed within the church. The Africans are separated from the Whites yet they preach that everyone is a child of God yet they take themselves more superior to the blacks. Religious hypocrisy still exists even today where the spiritual leaders have failed to be exemplary to the people thus leading to moral degeneration. The Novel addresses the issue of Discrimination in the society. The Whites lived far away from the Africans in well-furnished houses in luxury while the Africans lived in poverty and suffering. It is also portrayed in church where the Africans did not mix with the whites and they received Holy Communionlast. It’s ironic because they preach that they are all God’schildren. In Uganda today discrimination still exits where the rich are always reserved for in front sits .Learners understand that there is need for oneness among people in the society. The Novel also portrays exploitation in the society. The Africans in the Novel are being exploited by the whites.Toundi works for Father Gilbert and only rewards him with a pair of khaki trousers. The laundry man washes the under wears of the Madame yet he receives no pay. Even after working for the commandant he is accused of theft by the agricultural engineer and he is tortured to the point of death. OLIVER TWIST by Charles Dickens Is a story of an orphaned boy Oliver who stars his life in a work house with other children where they pick oakum fruits very early in the Morining. When he makes nine years he is sold to an apprenticeship the caretaker Mr. Sowerberry where he is mistreated by Mrs. Sowerberry and Noahclaypole. Oliver escapes and travels to London and he meets artful dodger a member of a gang of juvenile pickpockets Charles Dickens satirizes the existence of social classes within the society. This is portrayed through the existence of differences in the way of living of characters in the novel. Mr. Brownlow comes from the educated high social class where they live comfortable lives in well-furnished houses. Oliver twist and the counterparts like Nancy, Artful dodger, and Fagin live a miserable kind of life. Houses are crowded and are being supported by big logs of wood to prevent them from falling. Due to the hollow kind of life they are living, they are lured into crime in order to survive. For example, Fagin recruits young children into crimes and Nancy is a prostitute. The Novel addresses the issue of Child labor in the society. In the Novel it is portrayed in the Workhouse where children of tender age wake up very early to pick oakum fruits. The children are fed with very little food which prompts Oliver to ask for more soup from Mr. Bumble who instead of adding him soup flogs Oliver and he is locked in the room. Fagin also lures children and recruits them into crimes for his own benefit that is, Oliver artful dodger and Nancy. This habit also exists in Uganda today due to the existence of very many street children on the roads. Their parents instead of taking them to school they send the young children on the streets to beg for aims thus violating their rights to education. B) The following are the Novels we could recommend on the syllabus. THE OUTSIDER by Albert Camus to be taught in Ugandan Secondary Schools specifically A-Level. The novel, the outsider portrays a character Mersault who is psychologically detached form the world around him. I would suggest this book because of the following reasons; In the novel, Albert Camus satirizes the individualism which is portrayed by the protagonist, Meursault himself. Meursault is well aware that his society does not approve smoking by any family member when one’s mother is dead but Meursault goes ahead to smoke and even he drinks the coffee that is not accepted during the vigil. This makes his life look as an outsider which makes his life so absurd in the society. Learners are able to learn that if one is to benefit and fell comfortable in the society he/she lives one is supposed to uphold the conventions of the society or the tradition. Also Albert Camus ridicules abuse of human rights in the novel. This is seen when Mersault is not given an opportunity to look for his own lawyer when he is arrested for killing an Arab. He does not know where the man is from which makes him feel irritated, the whole world around him becomes indifferent. From this, learners will be able to know that everyone is entitled to enjoy his/her rights on earth not by others thus declaring the book to be on syllabus. Also the novel, achieves one form the aims of literature of instilling creativity among the learners. Albert Camus’s deployment of the character traits of Mersault so as to make him an outsider brings it better. Mersault tells the priest that, he does not know Jesus when he tries to force him to believe. Also he marks that he enjoys the crowd cheering him when he is going to assassinated than someone greeting him. He is also portrayed as one who does not cry at his others burial and even when is asked by a warden at the place where his mother died from, the day he was born as well as the one for her mother’s death he is not sure, ‘’my mother died yesterday or today, I don’t know’’. All these imply that this creativity is so heavy to help the learner to know how to use the language in trying to portray or communicate something as it is done by Albert Camus thus suggesting the book to be taught to Ugandan Secondary Schools. In the novel, Mersault finds peace in doing things that are different from others which makes him an outsider, even his girlfriend Marie says that she probably loves him because he is peculiar. This is also in our contemporary society whereby people have the freedom to do things that make them happy. For example some people smoke, drink alcohol to get away with the stress that is always bothering them which is also seen in the novel through Mersault. In other wards learners are exposed to the idea that one is responsible for one’s happiness in life thus suggesting the book to be on the syllabus. THE DEVIL ON THE CROSS by Ngugi WA Thiongo would be my preferred text on the syllabuses. The novel relates with the life experiences of the learners and the society as a whole since through characters like Gitutuwa Gatanguru one of the visitors at the devils feast in the cave at illmorong. He plans to exploit people by selling them soil in tins which portray exploitation in the country by government officials and business men in the country. It promotesself-discipline among the learners and this is portrayed through Boss Kihaara who offers Kalendi a job with the aim of sexually abusing her. This is a story told by Warringa from her experience with her boss at work who wants to sexually assault her and she later loses her job when she refuses. This portrays misuse of power by those in offices and sign of immorality. However Wariinga becomes resilient character bringing out the moral character to society. Religious hypocrisy which is portrayed by Boss Kitaara who acts a religious reading the Bible in Church to married couples but he is seen in a sexual relationship with a worker(Kalendi) as described by Waringa. This portrays Ugandan situation where religious leaders are shamely acting in contrary to what they preach. This makes learners to relate the life situations around them. The corruption which is portrayed by the government officials in the devil on the cross is as well vivid in the Ugandan society. Wangari is imprisoned for vagrancy in the city which is her own. She is promised an identity card after certain payments which she does not get even after payment. This reveals the political aspects in the novel which are experienced by the people in Uganda today. Neocolonialism as portrayed by the thieves in the cave at the devils feast is a major concern to the Ugandans where everything is still under the control of foreign powers. The winner of the competitions that take place in the cave, that is Kimenderiwa Kanyuangi; makes ideas of exploiting natives that is farmers by transporting their blood out of their veins through pipes to other countries. This ironically portrays inhumanity of the citizens over their fellows which portray exploitation. This is clearly illustrated in Ugandan situation where the tax payers suffer on behalf of the rich who exploit them for their own good making the novel the best suited for the learners. In the blossoms of the savannah by H R .Ole Kulet, culture is a base for their development of girl child to womanhood and this is done through female genital mutilation which identifies the Nasila culture of Limolelian clan. However Resian and Taiyo daughters of Kaelo struggle against this injustice and Resian together with the sister Taiyo are helped by the Emakererei to fight the unjust cultural practice against women’s rights. Resian joins Emakererei after running away from home from the forced marriage to the old rich man who promises wealth to his father. Devil on the cross by Ngugi wa Thiongo characters like Waringa the protagonist struggles to attain her dreams of being an engineer though she later becomes pregnant and her dreams shuttered, she is courageous enough and joins mechanic institution where she learns skills and mechanics. The novel reveals injustices in society at the Devils feast in illmoreng at the cave where thieves gather for a competition in their skills of stealing. FAR FROM THE MADDING CROWD by Thomas Hardy it was written when the women had an inferior status in the society. They limited opportunities economically, socially, and politically. The Novel addresses the issue of male dominancy in the society was by men are taken to be superior compared to the women. The society believes that women cannot do anything in the world than then the men but instead they have to just sit home after the men. Handy addresses this issue contrasting Bathsheba and Fanny. Bathsheba is represented as an independent and unconventional Victorian woman in comparison to Fanny who conforms to the stereotypical ideology of Victorian women as argued by Azadeh. In this, Hardy’s intention to show his rejection of society’s attempts at fitting women into limited roles since he thought that women should be given a chance to break free from the traditional gender categones and also forge identities of their own. This will help students to be aware of their roles in the society no matter what other people think of them on the society. The novel addresses the issue of oppression in the society and thus as seen. The novel addresses the issue of cultural tensions in the society where by in some cultures, for marriage to take place, they base on the social class and it’s through this that Hardy attempts to depict the background of marriage and gender in the course of women’s liberation. Thomson says, ‘’Hardly challenges the conventional perception of marriage, gender and traditional ideas about social class.’’ This fulfills the aims of teaching literature increasing the students personal culture awareness through the study of arrange of texts drawn from literary traditions and periods and this is because when the students get to know how marriage is taken to be in other cultures, they will think about their own and how they look at marriage. The novel addresses the issue of the role of women in society and this fulfills the aims of teaching literature enabling students to know the relationship between society and literature. This is seen when women in the Victorianera were not to do anything in the world of men but we see Bathsheba after inheriting the WeatherBug farm from her uncle and decides to manage it on her own without abailiff in spite of the assumption of the day that a woman’s brain is not equal to the demands of commence or the professions, and women by virtue of their sex had no business mingling with men. Bathsheba becomes master of her own farm and begins to make her presence to be felt what has traditionally ben basically men’s world. This teaches the students to be patient and hardworking because their hard work wills soon be felt by everybody even those who under look them will embrace their hard work. The novel addresses the issue of stereotypical nature of the society where by the society ascribed to women is that they believe that a woman’s carrier would be to please a man. They see women as merely sex objects who exist to give men pleasure and satisfaction. This gives in the aim of teaching literature of enabling students to know their rights in the society and fight for them and this as also seen when Bathsheba fights for her nights by breaking these stereotypes whereby she is aware of her pretty face but her beauty allows her to prove to the society that she is more than a stay at home woman. All she wants is to be seen as free and an independent human being and thus is seen when she says, ’I shall never forgive God for making e a woman and clearly am I beginning to pay for the honor of having a pretty face.’’ Bathsheba’s obligation to God demonstrates her rebellion against the ideologies which causes gender differences and gave men rights over women. This teaches the students that they are all equal; no sex is superior over the others. FATE OF THE BANISHED by Julius Ocwinyo ls a story that rotates around the protagonist Apire who goes to the bush to fight the government for reasons he does not know. Apire leaves his wife Flo at home who gets involved in an intimate relationship with father Dila who was a priest of the local area church. Apire returns home and get rumor about Flos relationship with the priest. He murders both of them and goes to the police station to be arrested but he is mistaken to be insane by the policemen.Julius Ocwinyo being s Ugandan born in Apac district writes the novel Fate of the banished addressing issues in our country that is, socially economically and politically. Ocwinyo addresses the issue of Religious hypocrisy which is portrayed through father Dila who gets involved in an intimate relationship with a married woman Flo.. In Uganda today religious leaders have failed to live an exemplary life for their flocks to emulate. Ocwinyo writes to condemn such acts because religious leaders are supposed to inculcate morals. It is in line with the aims of UNEB which encourages self-discipline and morality among citizens. In Fate of the Banished political leaders are satirized because of their ironic behavior that is, instead of keeping law and order are creating insecurity in the society. For example, the police officers arrest women selling waragi to earn a living yet their wives are selling it at home. The state security rape Betty and Maria while Apire and the young brothers were watching. The chief encourages mob justice to be carried on the cattle rustler. He was roasted upside down to death thus showing the kind of hypocrisy in the political leaders. Students are able to develop love and care for others and respect for public property which is UNEBS main aim of teaching literature. The novel also manifests the negative effects of war. Different characters in the novel are affected differently by the war. Forexample, Betty after the death of his father she abandons school in order to be able to sell waragi in order t take care of her family. Apire and Erabu leave their homes to fight the ruling government which leads to Erabus death. Apire is traumatized when he witnesses the brutal death of his father. The book also takes us to the heart of the matter that led many young people like Apire and Erabu to join the lord resistance army war. This is because they had lost hope and were living hollow lives. Therefore the Novel help learners to avoid any near occurrence f war that can lead to loss of lives and poverty in the country. It is in line with UNEBS aims to enable learners to acquire and develop knowledge about the emerging needs of the society. REFERENCES Fernando Oyono (1966) Houseboy (Translation by Reed, John): London: Heinemann. Thomas Hardly (18474) Far from the madding crowd. London: Everyman. Morgan: Roseman :( 1986) women and sexuality in the novels of Thomas Hardly. London. Donavan Frank. The children of Charles Dickens, London Laslie Frenon 1968 Pg 61. Azadeth Davoudi Fan-Talking of the Victorian society. Women’s self-determination in Thomas Hardly’s far from the madding crowd.vol.1 issue 3, 2013.