Opinion: What Is Expected Of New PhD Graduates? 

By Dr Nakimul Mariam

Today, Monday, January 13, 2025, a total of twenty-eight (28) graduates graduate with PhDs in Educational Management. I give thanks to Allah that I am one among the twenty-eight. Therefore, the knowledge that my colleagues and I have attained should be used selflessly to benefit humanity, particularly at this historical moment when Maama Janet Museveni, the minister of education, is at the forefront of turning our educational system into a success.

In order to provide the populace with high-quality educational services, the UN agency UNESCO advises that education management depends on intricate institutional administration arrangements that mobilize resources like quality educators. Soon after taking office as education minister, Maama Janat emphasized the importance of teachers as a resource for successful education management.

In her opening remarks, at the 23rd Education and Sports Sector Review 2016, she highlighted, “The ministry recognizes the role teachers play in a vibrant education system and as such we are in the process of developing a National Teachers policy to guide entry into the teaching profession, recruitment, training, continuous development, and teacher code of conduct” By emphasising training and continuous development of teachers’ competencies, the First Lady is acutely aware of the importance of learning and leadership, in addition to what was stated by US President John F. Kennedy that indicated training and the ongoing enhancement of teachers’ competencies as cherished. Author Bethany Spencer has since elaborated on the idea that learning and leadership are essential and asserted that,

“A leader needs to be knowledgeable and eager to learn in order to remain significant, and they must keep learning since the world is in a system of knowledge economy comprised of consumption and production based on intellectual capital. The statement refers to the ability to capitalize on scientific discoveries and applied research. The knowledge economy represents a large share of the activity in most highly developed economies. A significant component of value might consist of intangible assets in a knowledge economy, such as the value of its workers’ knowledge or intellectual property. In the majority of highly developed nations, a significant portion of activity is devoted to knowledge-related businesses. A knowledge economy relies on highly educated and competent workers, robust communications systems, and institutional frameworks that reward creativity. Correspondingly, in the education sector, an educator cannot evaluate student performance and learning outcomes to determine the efficacy of teaching tactics if they lack the necessary knowledge and qualified assessors. Robert Katz’s perspective on higher education management identifies Technical skills, interpersonal (or human) skills, and conceptual skills as the three essential skill sets for effective leaders. To maximize managerial success, leaders need to have specific technical capabilities. Each of these three main skill categories explains how these skills interact with leaders at different levels, even though they cover a vast range of capabilities. Training and personal development in these abilities enable one to gain the various leadership capacities.

Accordingly, once there is no career advancement, then the outcome is detrimental. The ministry of education will be affected at all stages including implementation, monitoring and evaluation. Cautious of that Maama Janet in her welcoming remarks for the new permanent secretary, Dr Kedrace Turyagenda, urged the ministry of Education’s top management to remain vigilant and monitor schools to ensure a safe learning environment for students. In light with the above, i appeal to fellow new PhD graduates of educational management to enhance quality education for our dear motherland. I want to congratulate you on reaching this significant milestone. The writer is a PhD Graduand in Educational Management at Makerere University.