By Diana kintu.
The National Curriculum Development Centre, which is part of the Ministry of Education and Sports, has chosen nine local languages to be taught in primary schools in the Eastern region of Uganda. This announcement was made by Seezi Bogere, a research officer at the centre.
He spoke to the media on Monday, 25th August 2025, during a meeting held at Mbale Secondary School. The meeting was called to discuss the proposal with local leaders and get their opinions.
Mr. Bogere explained that the selection of these languages was based on a study that started in 2023. The study was carried out in several districts, including Bulambuli, Busia, Tororo, Bukwo, Butaleja, and Kalaki. During the study, the researchers talked to many people, including religious leaders, cultural leaders, and members of the local communities. The goal was to find out which languages are most widely spoken in the region so that these could be included in the school curriculum.
The nine languages that have been selected are Lugisu (also known as Lumasaba) for Bulambuli district, Lunyole for Butaleja, Dhopadhola for Tororo, Kumam for Kalaki, Lusamia for Busia, Ateso, and Kupsabiny for Bukwo. Two other languages were also chosen, but their names were not specifically mentioned in the report.
After the meeting with local stakeholders, the proposal will be presented to the Cabinet and Parliament for final approval. Only after it is passed by these government bodies will it become law.
A representative from the Tororo cultural institution, Veronica Opendi, stressed that if the proposal becomes law, it should be followed by all schools, including private ones. She noted that some private schools have been reluctant to teach local languages in the past.
Lovisa Wankya, who leads the Dhopadhola Language Board, expressed support for the research. She said that teaching local languages in schools will help preserve and promote them. She gave examples of countries like China and Germany, which have progressed by using and promoting their own native languages.
This move is seen as a way to help young children learn better in their mother tongue while also keeping local cultures alive.