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NATIONAL | The government will construct museums across the country to foster learning as well as promote culture tourism, Vice President Jessica Alupo has said.
VP Alupo was speaking as chief guest during the International Museum Day held at Soroti Museum grounds in Soroti City on Saturday.
“The government is committed to partner with private sector to preserve cultural heritage in the country,” she said.
Ms Alupo said museums play a critical role in fostering innovation, creativity and critical thinking, adding that schools and tertiary institutions across the country should uphold the new curriculum that emphasizes learning from the past.
Meanwhile, the Minister for Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities, Col (Rtd) Tom Butime, while speaking at the same occasion said his ministry has a clear strategy for museums and monuments whose goal is to spur cultural tourism in the country.
“Our vision is to transform the country from a peasant state to a modern prosperous country,” Butime said, adding that the tourism sector contributes Shs16.7 trillion to the total GDP of the country and employs about 7 percent of the country’s total working population.
He warned residents against rock quarrying, especially on Kapir rock, which he said destroys the unique nature of the environment.
The State minister for Teso Affairs, Kenneth Obote, commended the Tourism ministry for allowing Soroti to host the event.Meanwhile, the Teso region Deputy Minister for Tourism, Joseph Ojatumu, said the event was a great opportunity for Teso tourism.Ojatum, an alumnai of the Uganda Hotel and Tourism Training Institute (UHTTI), heaped praise on the hotel school and urged Teso residents to enroll their children at the institute.
“I am a product of UHTTI and I am so proud to have gone through that Institution. It is the only government Institute training in hospitality,” Ojatum said.He said Teso region is rich in tourism sites and pledged to invite the Uganda Tourism Board (UTB) to help gazette the sites.
This year’s International Museum Day was commemorated under the theme, “Museums shaping knowledge for the future”.As part of activities to mark the day, a number of activities were line up, including quizzes and poems for primary and secondary schools that took place on Thursday, May 16.
In the secondary school category, Soroti SS emerged victorious while Kings Kid Primary School topped the primary school category.The event was attended by several dignitaries, including the mayor of Soroti City, Teso region Members of Parliament, district chairpersons and directors of Ministry of Tourism agencies.