Hilary Bakamwesiga

2 Publications in AERD

Author Publications

Water Management Education in the East African Region: A Review of the Challenges to Be Addressed

By Hilary Bakamwesiga

Increased urbanisation coupled with inadequate awareness of the public on the issue of freshwater resource management has affected the use and the availability of freshwater resources in urban areas of Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania. Lake Victoria has been the clearest example, with the water level decreasing 0.005 m/year from 1993 to 2016 causing an overall drop of 0.115 m. In order to develop sustainable methods for addressing these issues, this paper critically reviews the different legal frameworks used in each country (Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania) adopted to manage the water resources and identifies the challenges faced by each legal framework applied. It also analyses the education systems implemented within these three nations to educate students at various levels about water resources and identifies the challenges involved in each system. Finally, suggestions are made for future research to be conducted to obtain specific benefits for better management of water resources in East Africa. © 2023 by the authors.

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Identifying Gaps within the Education System in Uganda to Prepare Students for More Sustainable Water Management in the Future

By Hilary Bakamwesiga

Due to climate change and increased urbanisation, the current level of freshwater withdrawals and corresponding water usage in Uganda has increased, affecting the availability of these resources and becoming a concern. Education can play a crucial role in providing support to and training students on sustainable water use, both at home and in relation to school activities. Therefore, it is imperative that the education system develops actions, approaches and materials to achieve this goal. The paper assesses the current state of existing Ugandan education on this subject, by identifying the water-related topics currently featured in the curriculum at different class levels, with the aid of questionnaires conducted in four schools in Uganda. Three questionnaires (one for primary school pupils, one for secondary school pupils and one for teachers) were designed for collecting targeted data, and thematic analysis was adopted to analyse the data collected. The results revealed important insights regarding students’ behaviours towards water usage at home. They also revealed that water sustainability topics are delivered in the science curriculum at the primary level, as opposed to geography at the secondary level, confirming that overall, there is a lack of integrated practical teaching incorporated within the courses currently taught in Ugandan schools. © 2023 by the authors.

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