The British Council together with the Education in Emergencies Working Group (EiEWG) has launched a report and handbooks on supporting schools and teachers teaching refugee children.
The report titled “A Focus on student Centric Learning and Teaching for the Language for Resilience” was launched at the Golden Tulip Hotel in Kampala.
The research Data was collected across 34 schools, 120 teachers, and 459 learners at schools in the four refugee settlements of Kyangwali, Impvepi, Rhino Camp, Nakivale, and also in Kampala.
The event was presided over by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education and Sports Ketty Lamaro who applauded the NRM government for ensuring quality education for refugee children in Uganda. She also thanked the British Council for improving the quality of Education through the Language for Resilience campaign.
“I agree with the British council that resilience is essential for individual refugee families if they are survive and flourish in Uganda, Language where in the community or classroom is crucial” says Ms Lamaro
During the occasion, partners gave feedback on the language scope report and the practicability of the handbooks. They provided a report on a language mapping survey in the three refugee-affected districts to better understand the language issues and barriers affecting teachers, students and communities in accessing education in the languages.
An overview of Education in English and schools in the British Council was presented by Dr. Caroline Grant who urged teachers to regulate the level of English when teaching in order for the children to understand the concepts.
“I think the concept of teaching English at the right level is pretty important” says Dr. Caroline.
She further emphasized the need to use Digital technology in teaching the refugee children.
The Handbooks
The two handbooks that were launched included a handbook for teachers and a school management handbook thus these handbooks had research and guidelines on the language of instruction and strategies for multilingual approaches in classrooms.
Recommendations and approaches from the research findings was done by a panel that included Dr. Gioko Maina, Dr. Rod Hicks and Dr. Mary Gorreti Nakabugo and Dr. Caroline
Dr. Rod Hicks’ recommendations was based on the implementation of introduction of the bridging Course in all settlements of Refugees and training teachers to embrace the bilingual use of language
“Deliver a training module on how to use a principled bilingual approach” Dr. Hicks said
Dr. Maina on his part recommended the recognition of teachers and awarding them for a great job Done in these settlements.
The research focused on the practicability of how these handbooks were used in different districts that is to say; Whether the handbooks were available and being used, how frequently and when they are used when teaching, whether there was provision for the after class support lessons and what school placement is practiced with new refugee children among others.
Some of the Voices of impact were heard from the teachers who were trained on how to use the handbooks in 15 settlements. Mr. Muchugizi Edward, a Primary 7 teacher from Nakivale settlement says he has seen an improvement in his students since the training.
“The language for Resilience is a good idea and ever since I was trained, English of children in my school has improved, i have introduced remedial teaching and peer learning which has helped our children alot” says Mr. Muchugizi
According to the British Council, resilience is essential for individual refugee families if they are to survive thus a common Language is crucial in their education system in Ugandan society.
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The Regional Director of the British Council, applauded and appreciated the Ugandan Government and the people of Kampala for being so welcoming to the Refugees.
“I would like to pledge a tribute to the people of Uganda to the Government because of Hosting Refugees, the generosity and that’s very unique” says the Regional Director.
Uganda now has seen an influx in the number of refugees coming into the country in recent years with almost 1.3 million refugees and asylum seekers registered by June 2019 while many more are still flooding in.
The government of Uganda has been welcoming and supporting them in all sectors including education in their stay in the country.
The launch was attended by the Regional Director and High Commissioner of the British Council, The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry if Education and sports(MoES), Members of the organizations of the Education in Emergencies Working Group (EiEWG) Language Task Team, Civil Societies working, policy makers from Ministry of Education, teachers from the refugee hosting schools and other people on Zoom.
