Caning is not the only way – Teachers in Uganda undergo transformational programme which is having positive impact on their communities
Ugandan teachers are undergoing a life changing programme with the support of VC. The programme being implemented in the rural Gulu region involves teachers reflecting on their work and interaction with children. The training promotes child-centred learning and liberation education to tackle the challenge of violence against children in the Ugandan school system. Gulu is a post-conflict area, in which up to 30,000 children were abducted as child soldiers and with those who returned deeply affected by their experience
Training being offered as part of St Francis Family Helper programme, is intensive and lasts 1 month. A total of 50 teachers from 5 schools will be trained each year, for over 3 years. The teachers will be trained as trainers and supervised in the roll out of training to the pupils’ parents, increasing parents’ knowledge of child rights and improving their attitude to their children’s care and education.
VC, who have been working in this area of development since 2017 are very encouraged with the progress. CEO, Shane Halpin says this training sending out a very positive message to the Ugandan Department of Education and we are already seeing positive impact. Teachers are reporting life changing impact of this programme.
One head teacher, Ozinga, who underwent the training reported that he had dropped the cane entirely and through his training in mindfulness and conflict resolution was now able to enter into dialogue with the children in his school rather than immediately resorting to corporal punishment.
“I used to believe that African child can only listen with the buttocks. But since I had the training, I have resorted to using dialogue and listening to the children, affirming them and recognizing their contributions. The children have begun liking me and do listen to whatever I tell them.” Ozinga reports benefits at home too where he has been opened up to gender stereotyping and challenged his understanding around women’s work in the house. “I realized that the domestic work that women do and there is a lot, men can often do as well. This has reduced the blame I used to put on my wife and there is no conflict arising as a result of my wife failing to do certain domestic chores timely or not at all.”
In 2016, Ugandan legislators amended the Children Act, extending its corporal-punishment ban to all schools and colleges. But some say the government’s most recent attempt to end caning in classrooms has proved futile. In 2020, the project has engaged with the Ministry of Education vigorously lobbying for the integration of the training into the school curriculum.
