MAKERERE UNIVERSITY

COLLEGE OF EDUCATION
SCHOOL OF EDUCATION
DEPARTMENT OF FOUNDATIONS AND CURRICULUM STUDIES
EDC: 2201 GENERAL THEORY AND PRACTICE OF COMPARATIVE
EDUCATION
Course Justification:

Education issues can best be examined from a Comparative perspective. Examining education
issues from a comparative perspective and within the country helps teacher trainees appreciate
institutional challenges and equips them with the knowledge and skills to make a contribution in
addressing the educational challenges. The study of other countries’ education systems enables
trainees to appreciate their own system and be selective when adapting educational practices
from other systems.
Course Description
The course covers a wide range of past and current issues in education and introduces to the student the field of
Comparative. It offers an explanation for differences in education systems and processes and how education
contributes to social, political, economic development of nations. By studying education in various countries
teacher trainees and other educationists get to understand the education process and this enhances their ability to
contribute to the provision of solutions to educational problems and challenges within their countries.
Course Objectives
By the end of this course, students should be able to:
1. Explain key concepts of Comparative Education.
2. Describe the development of the field of Comparative Education.
3. Explain the rationale for teaching Comparative Education and the contribution of
education to national development.
4. Appreciate the interplay of different factors in shaping education systems.
5. Explain key reform efforts in Uganda’s education systems.
6. Compare and contrast the education system of Uganda visa vi another foreign system and
draw lessons for purposes of selective borrowing for reform.
Course Content
1. Overview of Comparative Education
 Key Concepts (Compare, Education, Schooling, selective borrowing, Values )
 Definitions of Comparative Education
 Rationale for teaching Comparative Education (to teacher trainees, teacher educators
and policy makers).
2. Development of Comparative Education field
 Contribution of various comparative education scholars- Marc Antoinne Julien,
Victor Cousin, Sadler Michael, Kandel, Friedrich Scheiner, etc
 Comparative Education theories – Structural functionalism, Dependency theory,
human capital, modernization, globalization, liberation, etc
3. Factors Affecting Education Systems
 Natural factors – Race, Language, economic and geographical
 Religious factors
 Political/secular factors

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 4. Education and National Development: A Comparative Perspective
a) Development defined
b) The Contribution of Education to National Development
c) Education of women & national development
5. Educational Reforms in Uganda
a) Education reforms defined.
b) Factors influencing educational reforms.
c) An Overview of Educational reforms in Uganda 1992 – To-date.
d) In-depth analysis of any two reforms Universal Primary Education & Vocational
Education/Skilling Uganda.
6. Contemporary and Global Issues in Education
a) Globalization & Education
b) Sustainable Development Goals SDGS
7. Education Systems Compared
A Comparative analysis of Education Systems (One East Africa and another selected from either
Europe, USA or Asia focusing on Aims, Administration, Finance, Structure, Curriculum,
Education for the minority, Research, teacher education & evaluation/assessment.
Methodology
a) Participatory learner centered (Information Communication Technology (ICT), Street
cast, radio talk shows, panel discussions, skits, poems, songs, personal testimonies,
artifacts, photography, video, etc)
b) Resource person presentation
c) Field study
d) Group Discussions
Desired Equipment/Tools Needed for Effective Teaching /Delivery
a) Computers (Desktop/laptop)
b) Projector
c) Public address system
d) Video Camera
e) Digital Photo Camera
f) Markers/
g) Flip Charts
h) Manila Papers

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 READING LIST SEMESTER 2 2019
Altbach, Philip G. $ Kelly Gail P (1986). New Approaches to Comparative Education. Chicago:
University of Chicago Press.

Epstein, Erwin H. Comparative and International Education: Overview and Historical

Development. In (Eds.) Husen, Torsen & Postlewaithe, Neville, (eds.), 1994. Encyclopedia of
International Education. London: Pergamon Press. pp. 918-823.

Government of Uganda, (1992). Government White Paper. Education for National Integration
and Development. Kampala: Government of Uganda.

Halls, W. D. (Ed.), 1990. “Trends and Issues in Comparative Education”, in (Ed.) Halls, W.D.
Comparative Education: Contemporary Issues and Trends. London: Jessica Kingsley
Publishers/UNESCO pp. 21-65

Hans, Nicholas. 1967. Comparative Education. London: Routledge and Kegan Paul Ltd.

Ingemar, Fagerlind and Saha J. Lawrence (1989). Education and National Development: A Comparative
Perspective. 2nd Edition. London: Butterworth-Heinemann.

Jomo Kwame Sundaram & Schwank, Oliver, Rudiger Von Arnim (2011). Globalizatiom & development
in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Kirsten, Majgaard & Alain Mingat (2012). Education in Sub-saharan Africa: A comparative
analysis. International Bank for reconstruction and development. The World Bank: Washington
D.C.
Ministry of Education and Sports, (2004). Universal Primary Education. Enhancing UPE. A
Stakeholders Handbook. Kampala: Ministry of Education and Sports.

Ministry of Education and Sports: Skilling Uganda BTVET Strategic Plan 2012/3 to 2021/2
Mundy, Karen, Green, Andy, Borblingard, Verger, Antoni (2016). The handbook of global
education policy. John Wiley & Sons Ltd: West Sussex.

Namuli Tamale Sarah, 2014. Ministry of education and sports Discussion paper on Relevancy of
the Current Skills Development Process to the World of Work in Uganda

Nathan, Andrews (2009). Foreign aid and development in Africa: What the literature says and what the
reality is. Journal of African Studies and Development Vol 1 (1), pp. 008-015, Novembers 2009.
http://www.acadjourn.org academicjournal.org/JASD

Nyerere, Julius (1968). Education for self reliance. In Nyerere J. Essays on socialism. Oxford University:
Dar-es Salam

Vila, L. The Non-Monetary Benefits of Education, 2000. In European Journal of Education,

Vol.35, No.1, 2000. pp 21-31.