These refer to factors that bring about changes. They are very many and include' money, Education, growth, Science and technology, rural-urban migration, politics, religion, people etc.

Money

We live in a monetary economy whereby everything is interpreted in terms of money. The love for money has caused the following changes:

It has brought in the attitude of selfishness and individualism. No one works for the good of others; instead everyone is on his or her own. This has weakened the traditional sense of communal living.

Employers have resorted to exploitation of their employees just because they want to maximise profits.

The rampant cheating of exams by Christian Head teachers and students is connected to the desire for money. Even non Christians cheat exams

It has led to corruption everywhere. People embezzle public funds to become rich just in a day.

The electoral malpractice in Uganda and other African countries is due to the excessive desire for money. Those with money ''buy votes". People do not vote genuinely- hence a \ hindrance to democracy.

There is "cut-throat'; "competition (unhealthy competition) between manufacturers and workers. This has even led to witchcraft tendencies. All this is due to the desire for money.

Using money, Ugandans bribe traffic policemen, lawyers and magistrates ill courts of law, prison wardens etc.

Sex immorality such as fornication; prostitution and homosexuality are on an increase due the desire for money.

It has led to discrimination between the rich and the poor. The rich are recognized everywhere. Even in the church, they are given front seats. Everywhere the poor do not matter!

The rich have displaced the poor from their land using money; they have snatched away the wives of the poor using money etc.

The emergence of immoral literature (pornography) such as the magazines full of naked pictures is due to the hunt for money. Connected to this are the beauty contests, which have turned scandalous! Then the blue movies. The story is endless.

No one seems to care for the orphans as the case was in the past simply because "there, is' no money". The African spirit of oneness is dying out because of money.

The rural-urban, migration with all its related evils is due to the search for money.

Inflations

This is the constant rise in the prices of goods and services. It has affected civil servants negatively.

Education                                                                                              

Education is a process of creating desirable changes in a person. A fully educated person needs both formal and informal education.

Education makes a person to become filled with knowledge, ideas and skills. Hence it prepared a person for life and its challenges.

It enables a person to bring about desirable changes in the community where he lives. E.g. some educated Africans see no point in female circumcision and are calling for a change for the better. It enables a person to read and write, to make new inventions etc.

Education enables a person to cope up with changes with minimum shock.

It makes a person to become sociable and tolerant to people of other tribes, religion or political beliefs.

It makes a person mature, understanding, analytical and observant. Hence a person who can give reliable advice on various issues such as politics environment, etc.

It makes a person ready for leadership roles.

Unfortunately some learned people who call themselves "educated" do change negatively.

Examples:

Growth

To grow is to change and to have grown is to have changed several times. At birth, the baby is small, weak, fragile, and innocent; soft skinned and probably doesn't see.

A few days later, it starts seeing, becomes aware of the people responsible for it and starts making simple movements. All this is change.

Later it craws, stands up, walks) runs around, feels ashamed to move naked, stops urinating on the bed (wetting the bed) etc. Hence to grow is to change.

At boyhood and girlhood, the child goes to school, gets friends, learns new information and at home is taught to work.

At adolescence, that is between 13 (thirteen) and 19 (nineteen) years a boy or girl is usually in a secondary school. The adolescent stage is also called the puberty stage or teenage stage. During this period (which may range from 12 years to 22 years for some people), a person experiences great physical, moral, emotional and mental changes. Because he/she is in a secondary school, adolescent changes can also be termed as changes one face in a secondary school. They are as follows:

Physically a person in a secondary school (an adolescent) becomes taller or bigger in size than he/she was in primary school.

The adolescent boy becomes muscular and stronger and starts doing heavy work. e.g. lifting heavy firewood, luggage etc. The chest broadens.

Hair protrudes from, different parts of the body of a teenager (an adolescent). E.g. hair under armpits, pubic hair and for boys, they develop beards. Boys develop deep voices while girls develop thrilling voices.

Girls undergo the menstruation period that goes on monthly.. They also develop breasts.

Some adolescents develop pimples on their faces while others sweat a lot and produce an odour (smell) on their bodies. These tend to worry the adolescents

Socially, the adolescent youths start forming peer groups. They make the lives smart and forget their dirt in primary schools.

They start trusting their fellow peers more than their parents, teachers and religious leaders. This makes them a bit rebellious to those in authority simply because they want to please their fellow peers.

They develop great interest in the opposite sex. Girls at this stage become very attractive and feel their power as they by pass the growing up boys. Most boys at this stage aim at getting girl friends and vice versa.

Exchange of photographs and letter writing are also frequent at this stage.

Wet dreams and hysteria are common during this stage as a result of the tension within the growing up teenager.

The majority of boys and girls go into sexual intercourse at this stage to know how it feels. Great sexual desire makes the penis to erect from time to time. Girls are no better off. The result is sex, unwanted pregnancies and usually abortions!

Mentally, the adolescents are very inquisitive. They are very eager to learn and they understand easily. They are mentally alert and start thinking maturely.

Some adolescents even start planning for their future careers seriously as reflected in their subject choices in secondary schools.

Academically, they do a number of subjects as compared to the few subjects they did at primary level. In a secondary school, one can be exposed to as many as 18 subjects in S.1 and S.2

Usually they improve their handwriting and English language (both written and spoken).

In some schools, they are even taught other languages such as German, French and Swahili Hence changing from their mother language to a variety of languages.

Those in boarding schools experience a change of environment e.g. from Bushika Primary School in Bududa to Grace High School, Gayaza.

In Secondary Schools, adolescents get a chance of meeting new students from different parts of the country. They learn from each other a lot and start: respecting each other's cultures.

Also they stop hating people of other religions since they mix with them freely and learn about their faith. Hence they become tolerant of one another.

In a boarding school, a secondary school adolescent learns to live away from his family members and to socialize with other people of his/her age.

He or she learns to budget and spend money proportionally since he is given limited pocket money. So, he changes and becomes mature, capable of 'budgeting and going through the term with limited funds, Some join a mixed school for the first time and learn to relate to the opposite sex. Some meet new games e.g. boxing, for the first time

"Adolescents also experience psychological and emotional problems. For example they start feeling that they' are always right. As a result they conflict a lot with those in authority.

At times adolescent starts thinking that their teachers and parents are old fashioned and don't know how, the world is moving. They reject their advice.

They are at times abusive and aggressive. For girls they are volatile and quarrel with each other over minor things. Hysteria is common for girls.

They like mini skirts, silted skirts, jeans, shorts, French cuts, Karamoja cuts etc They have an identity crisis and feel highly best-in funny clothes and with funny cuts.

Adolescents are usually obscene, jealousy and possessive.

 

Advice-to-an adolescent

Adolescence is a complicated period but it is temporary. The challenges are temporary and will be over come soon.

Respect and listen to the advice of teachers, parents and elders. Be social, have many friends but trust a few:

If you are bullied (teased) in a secondary school, forgive. Respect other peoples' tribes, Cultures and religion. Follow the school rules and regulations

Stay a religious person and avoid doing what is against your faith. Avoid bad companions.

Study hard in order to manage the changes in the world today.

Science and technology

However, when you evaluate, science and technology has created some problems which include:

With the increased mechanization of work, human beings have been rendered unemployed, for example one computerized robot can do the work of 10 men.

Invention of deadly weapons e.g. the atomic bomb. Even AK47 shown here is equally dangerous.

Pollution, destruction of the ozone layer and increased global warming.

Increased abortions due to the availability of scientific gadgets.

Evasion of God and dependence only on science and technology.