Critically, evaluate UNEB’s UCE and UACE syllabi for literature and English a) What social economic and political reasons justifies the syllabus b) If it were up to you, make a list of literary texts you would propose to be taught in Uganda secondary schools with clear justifications (4 plays) in p310/2 MUTEKANGA MEBRONE, NZANGURA IREEN, ONYANGO MAUREEN ACHIENG, NABEYA RABECCA ANDMATENDO DAMALI BYAMUKAMA

Literature in English is one of the subjects that have been at this level for as far as 1957 when high school education was introduced in the education system in Uganda the structure of the subject is inherited from the British system where it also happens to be a principal subject. In Uganda, literature in English falls in the category of art subjects. The subject comprises three genres namely prose and poetry, plays and the novel. All these three genres are compulsory for the students who offer this subject. According to Brian Mayanja the National Curriculum Development Center (NCDC) and the Uganda National Examination Board (UNEB) changed ” O” level and “A” level examinations syllabi for literature in English, which syllabi runs for five years. The” O” level literature has been running from 2011-2015 and the “A” level literature has been running from 2013-2017 and the syllabi will change again. The following are the books that were selected for advanced level literature in English P310/2(plays): the Imaginary Invalid by Moliere, A Doll’s House by Henrick Ibsen, Lwanda Magere by Okoiti Omtatah, King Lear by William Shakespeare, the Devil’s Disciple by George Bernard Shaw, the School for Scandal by R.B Sheridan, A Man For All Seasons by Robert Bolt, Echoes of silence by John Ruganda, Inheritance by David Mulwa and Aminata by Francis Imbuga Angela kyagaba, NCDCS head of secondary education asserts that the books were selected based on their moral, writing styles and availability. It was done in consultation with the teachers. She says they designed questions and sent them to different teachers asking them the type of book that they consider to be relevant to society and a panel from ministry discussed the answers and came up with the list of books above Literature is taught in line with the broad aims and objectives of secondary education which are: To instill and promote National unity and an understanding of social and civic responsibilities, strong love and care for others and respect for public property as well as an appreciation of international cooperation To promote an appreciation and understanding of the cultural heritage of Uganda including its languages To impart and promote a sense of self-discipline, ethical and spiritual values and personal collective responsibility and initiative To enable individuals to develop personal skills of problem solving, information gathering and interpretation, independent reading and writing, self-improvement through learning g and development of social, physical, and leadership skills To enable individuals acquire and develop knowledge and an understanding of the emerging needs for society and the economy Among the many plays that were selected for a level literature P310/2, we choose to use Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare, A Doll’s House by Henrick Ibsen, School for Scandal by R.B Sheridan and King Lear by William Shakespeare for our discussion Romeo and Juliet is set in Verona, Italy where there is an ongoing feud between the Montague and the capulate families. The play opens when servants from both houses engage in a street brawl that eventually draws in the family patriarchs and city official including prince Escalus. The prince ends the conflict by issuing a decree that prohibits any further fighting at a risk of great punishment. The feud causes tragic results for Romeo and Juliet, revenge, love and a secret marriage force the young star crossed lovers to grow up quickly and fate cause them to commit suicide in despair The play A Doll’s House traces the weakening of Nora Helmer from her previously unexamined life of domestic wifely comfort. Having been ruled her whole life by either her father or her husband Torvald, Nora finally comes to question the foundation of everything she has believed in once her marriage is put to test Having borrowed money from a man of ill-repute named Krogstad by forging her father’s signature, she is able to pay for a trip to Italy to save her sick husband’s life ( he was unaware of the loan believing that the money came from Nora’s father). Since then, she has to contrive ways to pay back her loan, growing particularly concerned with money and the ways of a complex world. The play School for Scandal is a comedy based on the sentimental philosophy that believes in the fundamental goodness of a man. The protagonists of the play are the members of the aristocracy except for the servants. It revolves around the activities of the Scandal School presided over by a Lady Sneerwell. The conflict between the youthful country maid Lady Teazle and the Elderly rich city man Sir Peter Teazle and the contest of the rival brothers, Sir Joseph Surface and Sir Charles Surface for the hand of Maria. A contest between the ‘natural’ man of free, generous- hearted, open desposition and the ‘artificial’ man of cool close contriving temper King Lear is a tragic play which depicts the descent into madness of the title character. The elderly King Lear is deciding to give up his power and divide his realm among his three daughters Cordelia, Regan and Goneril. He deposes of his kingdom giving bequests to two of his three daughters based on the flattery of him bringing tragic consequences for all The following are the social, economic, and political reasons that justify the above books The syllabus aimed at promoting an understanding and appreciation of the values of national unity, patriotism, and cultural heritage. In the play Romeo and Juliet, the idea of love is portrayed where despite of enemity between the Montgues and Capulates, Romeos love for Juliet is uncontrollable. The two love birds go an extra mile of engaging in a secret marriage when the members of the disputing families engage in a street brawl, the prince ends the conflict by issuing a decree that prohibits any further fighting a risk of great punishment. In School for Scandal, there is a struggle for love among the characters, the member of the scandal school struggle to destroy and sow discord in the Teazle family, Maria and Charles’ relationship. This negatively affects these relationships up to a point but their schemes are eventually exposed and love prevails in the end. The play presents the central relationship that between Lear and Cordelia as a dramatic embodiment of true self-sacrificing love rather that despising Lear for banishing her. Cordelia remains devoted even from afar and eventually brings an arm from a foreign country to rescue him from his tormentors. Therefore the two books address the issue of patriotism and unity The syllabus also helps to inculcate moral ethical and spiritual values in the individuals and to develop self-discipline, integrity, tolerance, human fellowship and respect for public property. This is evidenced in the play School for Scandals where the society is morally decayed through rumor and scandal mongering, emerging and betrayal characters in School for Scandal spread rumors about themselves and others in the society. There is a lot of gossip and backbiting. Joseph Surface also betrays Sir Peter’s trust by seducing his wife Lady Teazle. In King Lear, his daughter Goneril and Regan pretend to love their father due to greed for power and later undermined his little authority that he still holds this makes him unable to believe that his beloved daughters are betraying him It also addresses the issue of morals, the king of France, an old man, is in a relationship with Cordelia, Lear’s youngest daughter and even marries her. These books ridicule the idea of betrayal, rumormongering and cross generation marriage in a way of trying to instill morals, self-discipline among the learners The syllabus instills a sense of service duty and leadership for participation, public accountability in civil, community and national affairs through individual and collective activity. King Lear is about political authority as much as it is about family dynamics, Lear is not only a father but also a king and when he gives away his authority to unworthy and evil Goneril and Regan he delivers not only himself and his family but all of Britain into chaos and cruelty In Romeo and Juliet prince Escalus strives to create peace in Verona he ends the conflict by issuing a decree that prohibits any further fighting at a risk of a great punishments. In A Doll’s House, the idea of sacrificial role of women is addressed. Nora sacrifices for the husband Torvald by borrowing money from a man of ill- repute, kroogstad by forging her father’s signature in order to pay for a trip to Italy to save her sick husband All in all, the above social, economic, and political reasons justify the syllabus as seen b) If it were up to me to make a list of literary texts to be taught in Uganda secondary school literature paper 310/2, I would propose Redemption by David Mulwa, Black Mamba by John Ruganda, Betrayal in the city by Francis Imbuga and the Caucasian Chalk Circle by Bertolt Brecht The play Redemption revolves around church leadership. Pastor Manela has been sent by the aged one from the mother church as a replacement for pastor Mutema who has failed at the church of the old tradition in imaginary sector three. The aged one has sent him on a mission of rebuilding the church whose members have affected the splinter group and apostasy. Pastor Manela has also been directed to get to the root cause of this mass dissertation of the flock in sector three The play Caucasian Chalk Circle is based on the commonist principal, it is a play by the German modernist playwright Bertolt Brecht in his typical anti realist style, and he uses the device of a play with in a play. The play is a parable about a peasant girl who rescues a baby and becomes a better mother that it’s wealthy natural parents The play Betrayal in the City is set in a fictional country of Kafira ruled by Boss who is surrounded by sycophants like Mulili and the sharing the pie government officials Tumbo, Kabito and Nicodemo. The country is experiencing political upheavals that are a result of oppressive dictatorial government. Social evil such as corruption, nepotism, arbitrary arrests and assassinations have become common in Kafira The play Black Mamba is a play set in Kampala Uganda in 1972. The play reflects the reality of the East African social political situation after independence. It focuses on the age long human occupation and prostitution. Berewa, a house boy in the service of another professor Warx, he feels economically oppressed because his income is unable to meet his basic needs, he offers his wife Namuddu to the professor as a prostitute. Nanuddu is however irritated by the act and later reveals herself to the public to show what the professor has been practicing with the University girls We propose the above books (plays) because they justify the social, economic and the political reasons of the syllabus such as The plays above promote the understanding and appreciate of the values of national unity, patriotism and cultural heritage. This is evidenced in the play redemption which addresses the issue of hope and reconciliation where pastor manila acts as the vanguard of hope in sector three. We also see hope that is invested in young (Antoninus and Rebecca) the idea of love versus hatred where the parents preach hatred to their own children. The two children are trying to sow love the parents sow hatred but eventually the seed of love sprouts and love prevails and resolves the hatred in the play. Love is also portrayed in the play the Caucasian Chalk Circle. This seen when Grusha the governor maid love the abandoned child Michael and is ready to sacrifice for the child who is not her own. Betrayal I the city also addresses the issue of respect and values of culture. This is seen when Adka’s parents claim their right to carry on the shaving ceremony for the son despite the stumbling blocks. This satirizes Mulili who wants to defy the culture. Therefore the above plays promote natural unity, cultural heritage and patriotism as they learn the lessons of these plays. The plays inculcate moral, ethical and spiritual values in the individuals and develop self-discipline, integrity, tolerance, human fellowship, and respect for public property The play Redemption, Black Mamba and Caucasian Chalk Circle address this issue. Both redemption and Caucasian Chalk Circle satirize the religious hypocrisy and dogmatism. In the redemption people use religious as a cover, they preach about love, forgiving but show hatred. They do a lot of bad things behind the masks. Pastor Mutema’s house is hell. Religion which is preached on the pulpit is hardly practiced in this home. In the play the Caucasian Chalk Circle, the merchant’s woman’s play is full of anger and Lavrent’s family treatment of Grusha is unreligious yet the wife claims to be religious. In the play Black Mamba, it addresses the issue of sexuality immorality where the professor Coarx practices prostitution with the university girls yet it’s prohibited. Even Berewa’s offering Namuddu to the professor as a prostitute to earn a fee for their family needs. All these defy the moral, ethical and spiritual values of the society. So the book are trying to ridicule such actions and in a way help to build morals among the learners The plays also instill a sense of service duty to and leadership for participation public accountability in civic community and national affairs through individual and collective activity. This is addressed in the play redemption where pastor Mutema during his leadership in imaginary sector three of the old tradition fails to manage the church. The level of paying tithes has reduced and there are few Christians remaining in the church. This shows that his term of service in church has loop holes In Betrayal in the city, we see leaders such as Tumbo, Kabito and Nicodem who aim at feeding themselves instead of working for the good of the society. The Boss too has failed in his work. He employs Mulili on the ticket of being his cousin but he does not have any leadership skills. In a way, people are being oppressed by this leadership. Redemption also addresses the issue of parental responsibility and abuse of power. There are a lot of irresponsible parents in the play. They abuse the power given to them by God both religious and political powers are abused in the play. Pastor Mutema is very arrogant and therefore abuses the power given to him in sector three. He uses the power to chase away people from the church. In the Caucasian Chalk Circle also portrays the idea of sacrifice despite the suffering she is going through after the revolt, she sacrifices for the child Michael where she uses the remaining part of her salary to buy milk for the child. Therefore such issues justify the above selected books as they instill the aspects of leadership, and public accountability among the learners The plays also contribute to the building of an integrated and self-sustaining national economy. This is evidenced in the play Caucasian Chalk Circle where the two Kolkhoz villages (Kolkhoz Galnst and Rosa Luxemburg) are having a land dispute however the dispute is resolved and the land goes to the fruit growers who have a better plan for it. In a way, their plans help in sustaining the national economy which is a good lesson to the learners reading the play. In the play Betrayal in the City, a clear picture of what goes on in the political and economic world in the contemporary society is drawn. Issues such as corruption, nepotism, bribery, detention without trial are addressed in the books and their effects. This creates an understanding of the emerging needs of the society and the economy. In conclusion, the selected books measure up to the political, social, and economic reasons for the advanced level literature in English p310/2(plays) References 1. Sunday monitor(Sunday life magazine page 16) march 20, 2011 2. The Caucasian chalk circle, Heinman Edition, 1960,in Google books 3. www.ncdc.go.ug/index.php 4. www. Monitor, co.ug/…/-/index.html 5. John R. (1972), Black Mamba. East African Publishers, 2005 6. books. Google.com/books/about/black……….