Ugandan teachers share what they learnt from Irish classroom

DUBLIN - Learning never stops and for Ugandan teachers, who travelled to Ireland on October 11-18, 2024, their latest lessons happened at an Irish school.

The winners of the Teachers Making a Difference Awards spent the morning of October 15, 2024, at Castaheany Educate Together National School in Dublin, Ireland.

According to its principal, Sheila Gaughan, Castaheany Educate Together National School is a co-educational institution that boasts of diversity with students from 55 countries and only 7% of the population being Irish. The school which celebrated its 20th anniversary this year, has two streams per class and 16 teachers.

The institution, Gaughan said, is open to learners of all denominations, unlike traditional schools that are strict on who can be admitted. Another difference with traditional schools, she added, is that the students address the teachers and principal by their first names.

At the school, the Ugandan teachers were divided into pairs with each allocated a class. Below, they share their observations and lessons from teaching in Irish classes:

Nsubuga Francis Sematimba, St Maria Gorette Mpugwe PS, Masaka City (All Photos by Joy E. Abo)

Nsubuga Francis Sematimba, St Maria Gorette Mpugwe PS, Masaka City.

Teaching is done in a manner that stimulates critical and fast thinking.

Every lesson is taught practically using learning aids that are both tangible and virtual via information, and communication technology.

Teachers respect the time allocated to a task and do not go beyond the schedule even by a minute.  

Every class has a tap allowing students easy access to drinking water. This innovation can be adopted in Uganda, where students too can be given access to boiled drinking water stored in jerrycans or pots.

Festo Gutaka, Kibembe PS, Sironko

Festo Gutaka, Kibembe PS, Sironko

Concepts taught theoretically are reinforced through practical means, especially during group learning. For example, explaining the concepts of addition and subtraction is taught practically using number lines, bingo cards and dice, among others.

Mathias Kidon, Kalatom PS, Napak

Mathias Kidon, Kalatom PS, Napak

During the lessons, teachers move from the known to the unknown. That is, students are asked to state what they know about a topic and what they wish to learn. That allows the teacher to assess what the students already know and how to introduce the new aspects that need to be learned about the concept or topic.

Secondly, information and communication technology is applied in every lesson. There were no chalkboards in the classrooms, but smart boards instead.

Everlyn Apalat, Nagongera Girls PS, Tororo

Everlyn Apalat, Nagongera Girls PS, Tororo

Teachers at the different classes plan together every week on what they will teach and how it will be delivered. Noteworthy is that the teaching approach is competence-based.

Classrooms are arranged in a manner that eases movement and for a teacher to access a learner easily.

Aluma Baduru Shiliman, Kei Seed SS, Yumbe

Aluma Baduru Shiliman, Kei Seed SS, Yumbe

The sitting arrangement is the same as is in secondary schools in Uganda following the introduction of the competence-based curriculum in 2020. However, the difference is that in Ireland sit at different desks every lesson, compared to Uganda where one has one permanent seat. Secondly, every learner is given responsibilities thus everyone is engaged in the learning process, which also helps to develop their social skills, such as listening and co-operation with others.

Oscar Ntwatwa, Rwamwanja SS, Kamwenge

Oscar Ntwatwa, Rwamwanja SS, Kamwenge

The classes are inclusive, allowing for children with special needs to study with others.

Teachers are great at motivating learners to keep them interested in learning.

Biira Nabukwasi, Namunsi PS

Biira Nabukwasi, Namunsi PS

At the start of the lesson, teachers give icebreakers to prepare the learners and to keep them engaged.  

Teaching is done incrementally, that is, one topic builds on the previous one.

Activities are divided by the ability to prevent boredom for the sharp students.

Jilda Aweko, Nyapea Boys PS, Zombo

Jilda Aweko, Nyapea Boys PS, Zombo

Teachers teach each child as an individual and not a group. This allows for providing individualised attention, so no child is left behind.

Children are well-cultured and respect the time allocated to a task.  Assessment is done daily.

Innocent Masanja, Amaler PS, Nakapiripirit

Innocent Masanja, Amaler PS, Nakapiripirit

The learners were divided into groups with each doing a different task. For example, during the English lesson, one group was doing grammar and the other comprehension. Secondly, the learners are given tasks based on their abilities.

The classroom control was excellent as there are two teachers in control of same lesson with different activities.

Subjects like maths are based on logic and problem-solving.

Benah Siminyu, Mugulu HS, Butaleja

Benah Siminyu, Mugulu HS, Butaleja

Learners in Year One, the lowest class (the equivalent is Baby Class in Uganda) are taught majorly through play. This includes role play that stimulates learning. For example, I was chosen to act as a patient and the children did tests and attended to me.

They knew how to administer medication, take the temperature, and record their details. They also delivered a child that they vaccinated. Interestingly, the young children knew exactly what happens in a hospital.

Other children acted as innovators creating robots and skyscrapers.

Joel Mukose, Namaganjo PS, Bugiri

Joel Mukose, Namaganjo PS, Bugiri

The classes have talking walls that offer a lot of information.

The curriculum has 13 subjects with the recommended number of learners per class capped at 27.

Pupils interact freely with their teachers. During lessons, every child has a role to play when it came to break, children gave out snacks to their classmates.  

About the trip

The all-expenses-paid study tour is one of the prizes for the Teachers Making a Difference winners.

The tour is sponsored by the Embassy of Ireland, Travelcare, the Ministry of Education and Sports and the Office of the First Lady as well as the New Vision.