Africa
Child labour in Uganda
An EI mission, led by Samuel Grumiau and Kristel Berghmans, assessed the “Out of work and into school” project in Uganda, from 25 September until 1 October. They visited seven of the 15 schools involved in the “child labour free zone” implemented by the Uganda National Teachers’ Union (UNATU) in Erussi (West Nile), with the help of the NGO, Community Empowerment and Rural Development (CEFORD), and the Kyagalanyi Coffee company. There has been a significant reduction in dropout rates and increased integration in school of former child workers, thanks to the work of UNATU-trained teachers. Along with local authorities and local leaders, these teachers contribute to a sustainable change of parents’ mindset, helping them to understand the importance of education. UNATU uses these successes to reinforce its advocacy for formal, fulltime, and quality education.
Research Launch in Uganda
On World Teachers Day, EI launched its research, Schooling the Poor Profitably: the Innovations and Deprivations of Bridge International Academies in Uganda, in the capital city, Kampala.This research, by Curtis Riep and Mark Machacek, uncovered how Bridge’s ‘low-fee’ for-profit private schools undermine quality education for all in Uganda. Over 3,500 teachers and other distinguished guests and politicians, including the President of Uganda and the Minister of Education, attended the launch. In a demonstration of pan-African solidarity, leaders from KNUT/Kenya, NTAL/Liberia, SADTU/South Africa and SYPROS/Senegal also attended the event, together with representatives of DLF/Denmark and of EI (Angelo Gavrielatos and Mar Candela).
Breadth of Learning in Zambia
On 5 October, EI’s Research Coordinator, Martin Henry, travelled to Lusaka, Zambia, to work with primary school teachers on the development of a survey tool to explore the Breadth of Learning opportunities in primary schools in Zambia. Teachers helped craft the tool and will distribute it to approx. 1,000 primary teachers. In time, the survey tool will also be made available globally. The work was co-led by Christopher Yalukanda from the Zambia National Union of Teachers and Gideon Bulwani.
Breadth of Learning in Kenya
On 8 October, Martin Henry met with Lucy Barimbui from the Kenya National Union of Teachers in Mombasa, with the assistance of Jedidah Rutere. They worked with eight secondary school teachers who will pilot the secondary school breadth of learning tool in 50 secondary schools. A 10-person team of experts in each learning area will liaise with individual schools. The different nature of primary and secondary education has led to the development of different Breadth of Learning tools for each sector.
