The Minister of Education and Sports, Janet Kataha Museveni, has been named patron of the ILead program in schools. She was named by the Maxwell Leaders following the launch of the ILead program in Uganda.
The iLead Program aims at equipping learners with skills and competencies in selfless leadership, enabling them to become effective leaders wherever they work. ILead is John Maxwell’s values-based leadership development designed specifically for students.
According to John Griffin, Vice President, Global Programs, Equip at the Maxwell Foundation, the program combines John’s proven content with a peer-to-peer process that allows students to practice leadership as they are learning it.
He noted that iLead is done in small groups of 4-6 students, preferably once a week, during a course. It is designed to be done peer-to-peer. Learners are taken through various topics, which include making choices, growth, attitude, commitment, and others.
“I will, and it is an honor and privilege. It’s no problem for me. I value the fact that you have considered us worthy to bring this program to our country, and you have come in person to introduce it to us,” the First Lady said at the State House in Nakasero.
St. Maria Goretti SSS is one of the 13 schools piloting the iLead program run by the Franklyn Institute under the US-based Maxwell Leadership Foundation. The Franklyn Institute is engaging over 2,000 schools in Uganda.
Shallon Mugabe, a certified Maxwell coach and trainer and founding member of the Franklin Institute, interacted with students of St. Maria Goretti Senior Secondary School in Katende. Ugandan schools must introduce leadership programs to catch up with other African countries, like Rwanda.
She shared the story of the values she learned while growing up in her home village in Mitooma. Mrs. Mugabe noted that some of the values include: leadership begins with self, integrity, timeliness and orderliness, relationships, family, resolving to lead, and godliness.
“Are you able to account for your pocket money, and are you able to explain how you spent your time? How often do you see your facility?” she said.
The headteacher of Kololo SS, Edward Kanoonya, said, “When you look at the content and the values, I propose to the national curriculum development center that they let the iLead Program be part and parcel of the curriculum. When you critically look at the contents, the program empowers the facilitators (alumni of the Maxwell Institute of Leadership) and sponsors (teachers in schools), which is absolutely beneficial.”
He noted that the iLead Program touches on some components that have been left out of the students’ curriculum. It is something worth experimenting with or embracing.
“At Kololo SS, we are very deliberate in ensuring that we use every opportunity to expose our learners beyond what the curriculum dictates. The world where we prepare them to go is broader than what the curriculum dictates”.
He applauded the institute for taking the first step towards empowering learners. The approach being employed in disseminating these values is related to the way the new curriculum is implemented because it encourages groups and discussions, and in the process, they improve their communication skills. Once you master communication skills, the sky is normally the limit.
“Some of the topics being covered, like making choices, correspond with their daily lives. On a daily basis and every hour or every minute, they make good choices, but they do it unintentionally. They may not be aware that they are making choices. Being in class and opting to listen to teachers is a choice. Making contributions in the class is a choice, and refusing to contribute is also a choice,” he stated.
Margret Kyambadde, the headteacher of St. Maria Goretti Senior Secondary School in Katende, applauded the Franklin Institute for the decision to introduce the iLead program in Uganda.
She noted that the program encourages learners to embrace positivity because it stops them from getting stressed, regardless of the situation. It also encourages them to commit themselves to everything they do.
