Over 300 inspectors of schools from the districts, municipalities and cities in north and western Uganda gathered in Lira city for a three-day training on the school assessment model.

The training organised by the education ministry's Directorate of Education Standards with the aim of improving the quality of learning and teaching in schools, started on Wednesday, May 22, 2024, at Dr Obote College in the East Division of Lira City.

Rosemary Atima, the head of the directorate said the training is convened to bring together the inspectors of schools to reflect on their performance in the school assessment and equip them with skills of using electronic tools.  

According to Atima, last year, the ministry ushered the DISs into the new innovation of inspection where an inspection is done through an electronic inspection system using digitalised assessment tools to enable them assess the quality of education in the country.

School inspectors from western and northern Uganda enjoying a musical interlude during a training at Lira city on Wednesday

She said, however, the ministry realised that even after the introduction of the new system, some inspectors still faced challenges, especially on how to interpret the electronic tools, report writing, evidence gathering, how to assess overall performance of schools and the development of recommendations.

The participants, she said, will do the theory and later be taken to schools within Lira to carry out the actual inspection of schools with the support of the directorate staff as part of the training.

Learning performance worrying in schools

Atima revealed that even with regular assessments done in the learning institutions, there is still a low outcome of the learning.

According to her, findings from the assessment done by inspectors last term indicated that schools did well in financial management rating up to about 90% but learning outcomes in schools were as low as 30%.

The poor outcome she said were factored by the poor quality of lesson delivery and preparation of teachers which is still low.

She said inspection is key in continuous improvement of learning in schools: “Be very honest as inspectors, take more time in schools, write what you have observed, have more time in school, analyse, sensitise and come out with the report which is going to be helpful for decision making”.

The director also asked inspectors to carry out more lesson observation and compel all headteachers to ensure every teacher is supervised because headteachers are the first line inspectors.

The training brought together both local and central government inspectors.

Charles Ojok, the senior inspector of schools, northern region, one of the facilitators at the training, said every inspection done must cause an impact through improvement in the school which will eventually improve learners’ performance.

“The best inspection is done regularly. In your inspection, you need to involve the health officer, engineer and you delegate the duty accordingly. There must also be guidelines well explained to the officer assigned so they understand what they are going to do in the field exactly,” he added.

Kellen Ayebazibwe, the chairperson of Uganda National Inspectors Association, welcomed the training saying it will enable them evaluate their performance in terms of inspection work as well as how to improve the learning and teaching in schools

Challenges abound

Mbarara district inspector of schools, Abebazibwe admitted that inspectors had challenges on how to use the gadgets especially e-inspection to inspect using the stressing tools to access the teaching and learning session, instructional material, and teacher attendance.

She said the performance in the inspection is quite good nationally, but there is a challenging outcome in the performance of the learners and this training can develop new strategies that will enable the inspectors to do well in the weak areas.

 Lira district inspector of schools Patrick Olwit Ogwang said the three-day training will help them reflect on their performance as DISs and enable them

He said they have been having challenges with inspecting using the integrated school inspection model that is done in a digital manner, and many have been facing challenges on how to use it.

There is poor outcome learning, according to Ogwang, because most schools have moved away from the right focus as many are now exam-oriented and they are looking at only passing children but they don’t do more to impact knowledge in the learners, hence children get out of school when they don’t understand much.

“Teachers should first teach and make children understand then you can now assess them, then you come out with good results,” Olwit said.