Govt urges schools to embrace MDD to nurture learners’ talents

What the report says

The Observer reported that Alfred Kyaka, the assistant commissioner for Secondary Education in Uganda’s ministry of Education and Sports, has called on schools to give Music, Dance and Drama (MDD) a stronger place in learner development. Kyaka made the appeal while officiating at an MDD event at Our Lady of Good Counsel Gayaza, where he linked co-curricular participation to the discovery and growth of students’ talents beyond formal academic subjects.

According to the report, Kyaka argued that learners have varied abilities and that education should not be limited to performance in subjects such as mathematics, English or biology. He described MDD as an activity that can help bring out skills that may not be obvious in a classroom setting, and urged parents to support children who show creative or performance-related strengths.

The Observer also cited Jafar Wegoyi, the school’s head of performing arts, who said MDD can support mentorship and emotional development, particularly for adolescents. He said music and dance can provide a constructive outlet for teenagers’ energy while guiding them toward positive engagement.

The development reflects a wider education conversation about holistic learning, in which schools are encouraged to balance academics with creativity, personal growth and co-curricular exposure. Based on the publisher’s report, the ministry official’s message was not a new policy announcement, but a public appeal for schools and parents to treat MDD as an important part of nurturing well-rounded learners.