ALFA: Introduction to Fine Art

This Advanced Level Art and Design syllabus is written in accordance with the National Objectives on Secondary Education. It is a continuation of the Ordinary Level Art and Design syllabus (Lower Secondary Education). It introduces the learner to four major topics.

Topic 1 has four sub-topics. Considering the workload at Advanced level, some topics have been reduced to commensurate content to time allotted to the subject. In the topic of History and Appreciation of Art, some content has been expunged to avoid overload.

The syllabus content and objectives are made to align with the level of difficulty as learning progresses. The learning “areas” are under topics and sub-topics to differentiate the groupings under the same subject. The sub-topics are numbered according to the aspects handled therein.

This is to ease learning and gradual understanding of the concepts. All learning topics in this syllabus have been coded “II” in order to differentiate them from the O Level syllabus content.

A component of sales and marketing is introduced and appended at the end of the syllabus. The purpose is to acquaint the learner with modern social- economic trends and to enable him/her gain basic financial skills in sales and marketing of art and design products.

It is intended to make art education more relevant to the learner as he/she gains experience in the production, sale and management of art and design products and business establishments. It is a non-examinable component but working as a catalyst to the subject.

This syllabus is designed to enable the learner develop a deeper understanding of the content; investigate visual design in greater depth and breadth, as well as new concepts and perceptions in Art and Design.

It aims at enhancing the three pillars of Art and Design education which are art appreciation, skills development and expressive communication.

The outcomes of this syllabus are based on four components: i) Aesthetic perception (visual and tactile), ii) Aesthetic evaluation, (analysis- interpretation and judgement) iii) Creative expression (knowledge and skills in art and design) iv) Heritage and Cultural appreciation. It is expected that the learner will achieve the basic art and design abilities of perception, creative expression, heritage and cultural appreciation, critical evaluation and entrepreneurship.

Purpose

The major purpose of this syllabus is to ensure a uniform coverage of Art and Design curriculum in A level schools of Uganda. It is hoped that teaching in schools will be consistent with a common procedure. This syllabus is put in place to serve three major roles:

1. A contract between an instructor and the learner guiding the behaviour of both.
2. Curriculum as a permanent.
3. Curriculum as a learning.

This syllabus describes appropriate procedures so that both parties know the expectations, breadth and depth of the coverage. It helps the learners by providing a marketing angle of the course such that students gain early the financial basics, a pre-requisite skill for all learners to practise through the subject. This syllabus therefore is meant to expose the learner to direct experiences of facts, events, ideas and emotions that would encourage learning to take place during and outside art lessons