After my ribbed-condom response [in my lexicology, this means writing a very critical piece on an expressed opinion so don't take literally, this statement has history behind it] to Pastor Joshua's article in last Sunday's Monitor, I came across this letter to the editor written by a man of the cloth, Rev. Canon Aaron Mwesigye. It was published in The New Vision newspaper of 13 March 2008.
I have reproduced it here for my readers to make a contrast between the two. My only comment on this very insightful piece is his categorising condom use as a bourgeoisie decadence. Let us remind ourselves what the condom was made for. It was primarily for birth control, then when HIV/AIDS came around, it was adopted as one of the methods to avoid it.
My own church doesn't advocate for contraceptive methods that are artificial such as the condom. But in my three decades on planet earth, people will always have "offside" sex despite what the Church has been preaching for hundreds of years. This is debatable but I think condoms have saved more people than those Gideon New Testament bibles we find in hotel rooms! [An aside: I have always wondered why hotels don't have condoms in every room? Yet, you will most likely find guests using the rooms for sex or sleep than for prayer!]
LETTER OF THE DAY
This letter, the Editor feels, demands special attention
Africa's education is not value-based
EDITOR-Formal education in Africa today is largely a cocktail of colonial and neo-colonial state,
Christian Church and Islamic traditions arlda multiplicity of bilateral and multilateral agencies.
The African child is simply a lost sheep thrown on the street, a consequence of neo-liberal structural adjustment capitalistic economics, a prey to the worse forms of bourgeoisie decadence like strikes, condom use, drugs, smoking, alcoholism, violence etc. The current education in Africa does not provide values and ethics that protect and promote individuals and institutions.
Instead it sows seeds of envy, helplessness, corruption, violence, laziness and insecurity. Teachers/lecturers only meet students in class to give them notes--there is no room or forum for discussing challenges and opportunities in instltutions of learning. Likewise, the Boards and Councils only meet lecturers/teachers when there is a crisis instead of continuous monitoring and planning together to avoid or prevent the crisis. Some of the meetings between students, staff and administration do not expose all the issues and different interest groups remain unattended to resulting in crisis.
There is total moral anarchy in sodety and what is happening in Uganda now (strikes at Makerere University, Kyambogo Universfty) qualifies the existing "moral anarchy in society". Students and teachers are part of society hence engage in some form of terrorism. I propose the following remedies:
We need an education that inspires and exposes us to society and religious values so that we operate in a value-system society. Where can we get transparency, accountability, self-control, forgiveness, responsibility, honesty without values and principles in our educational system? That is why our education system produces leaders who are corrupt, irresponsible and not ashamed of engaging in some form of terrorism in their own countries.
Students should be involved in the management of schools, universities on a regular basis. Isolate them and they will find their way to disappoint you or disorganise all your plans.
There should be regular inspection in schools and universities and the Ministry of Education is responsible for this. Let this not stop at administration level. All students and staff must be involved and informed of the new developments in the institution. The challenges facing the institution must be shared across and understood by all the respective organs.
Teachers and students' forums to address welfare, discipline issues must be created, encouraged and facilitated by the administration. Responsibility in institutions of higher learning must be given preferably to people who are principled and flexible. The two qualities are necessary when dealing with different situations.
Government-aided institutions should act as models on the basis of discipline, welfare and academic excellence in society. Failure to attain this proves that Government is simply a funder/founder and not involved in the nurturing of the institutions.
The teaching of ethics should be a must and both teachers and students should be exposed to ethical principles that govern society to promote institutions and individuals.
The use of Police to stop violence using teargas and bullets shows the extent to which our society is loose and does not harmoniously co-exist. May the Mighty Hand of the Living God defend and protect our society/our continent Africa and save us from evil and destruction.
The Rev. Canon Aaron Mwesigye, Provincial Secretary, Church of the Province of Uganda
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