Dissemination on Mitigation and Management of COVID19 Impact on Uganda’s Education System - CEES

On Wednesday 06th Jan, 2021 a team of researchers led by Prof. Fred Masagazi Masaazi Principal Investigator(PI) of the Project also Principal College of Education and External Studies(CEES)Makerere University(MAK), and flanked by Dr.Paul Kitooke Kyambogo University (KYU) Co-PI,Dr. Kizza Mukasa Jackson, Mrs. Rehema Nakandi Mayanja(KYU), Mr Louis Theophilus Kakinda(MAK), Ms. Josephine Najjingo Lutaaya(CEES), Ms.Teddy Nassali (CEES), Ms.Rukia Nakintu (CEES), and the technical team Dr. Walimbwa Michael(CEES) and Dr. Mayende Godfrey presented findings on mitigation and management of COVID19 Impact on Uganda’s education system, the study was financed by the Makerere University Research and Innovations Fund(RIF). Welcome remarks were given by Mrs. Mayanja, she introduced the personalities that graced the workshop both physically and virtually, the Guest of Honor also Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Education and Sports (MOES) was ably represented by the Commissioner Basic Education (MOES) Dr. Mugenyi Cleophus, other personalities that attended included; Ms.Sara Mugosi Commissioner Special Needs Education (MOES), the Principal Education Officer Physical Education Ms.Elizabeth Mutumba (MOES), the Education Officer Government Mr. Mugisha Bigira David (MOES), the Senior Inspector of Schools (MOES) Mr.Kyamala Francis, virtually the National Curriculum Development Centre (NCDC) was represented by Mr.Sembirige Patrick and Mr. Dan Kyagaba the Senior Examminations Officer represented the Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB). Prof. Masagazi expressed gratitude for the significant representation of the stakeholders that attended workshop, especially MOES and NCDC. Giving an overview of the project, he said that COVID19 has had devastating effects on the world economic, social, and political fabric, he said in March 2020 many countries implemented non-pharmaceutical interventions in order to control the spread of the virus. He stated that the President of Uganda H.E Kaguta Museveni declared a lockdown in March 2020 due to the COVID19 outbreak which led to the abrupt closure of Schools, he said the Ministry of Health (MOH)also provided the public with a set of Standard Operating Procedures(SOPS) to follow at the helm of fighting COVID19 spread but unfortunately the SOPS are being flouted as showed in a study carried out by Makerere University School of Public Health the study detailed that handwashing had dropped by 93% in Kampala Hotspots it was also observed that other SOPs such as physical distancing, regular sanitizing and use of face masks are less likely to be followed and implemented due to congestion in the settlements. He elucidated that MOES proposed mitigating measures to facilitate continued Learning during the lockdown these involved development of a national framework which raised several questions and challenges. He said the research was aimed to interrogate the intervention put in place to support home schooling and the process of managing the intervention, the research sought to ask questions like, what type of materials are sent to learners? Which medium was used to reach the learners? What is the distribution process of materials from NCDC to the end user? How prepared were the stakeholders and which role did each play? And finally, how can the process be improved? The scope of the study included pre-primary, primary and secondary schools, researchers used questionnaires to solicit responses from learners, parents and local leaders as well as subject specialists to answer the research questions this included 211 students, 171 Teachers, 94 Parents from Kampala, Masaka, Mubende, Jinja and Lira districts, the study took a period of 6months therefore the team could not traverse the whole country. Dr.Kitooke the Co-PI presented the findings as follows depending on particular objectives; OBJECTIVE ONE: ACCESSIBILITY TO MATERIALS AND MEDIUMS OF INTERACTION This objective was intended to investigate whether students were able to access and utilize study materials during the lockdown. This was categorized according to the following key areas; a) Investigating mechanisms used to identify learner target groups and delivery of materials to them. b) Investigating whether targeted learners actually accessed the home learning interventions through different mediums i.e., radio, tv or print. c) Establishing challenges if any, related to quantify/ sufficiency of materials and how they were addressed if at all. FINDINGS: 1 a) Mechanisms used to identify learner target groups and delivery of materials to them; It was discovered that generally there was no uniformity and that the mechanisms varied from place to place. 70% of the local leaders and almost all teachers and parents reported that the materials were inadequate and that there was a delay in delivery. 37.5% of the students said NCDC materials were not delivered in their areas, 11.8% were not aware that government was distributing materials. 2 b) Whether targeted learners actually accessed the home learning interventions through different mediums i.e., radio, tv or print; 20% of the students and 38% of the teachers said that radio was the most common source of home-schooling material, however 45% parents cited NCDC materials as the most common, followed by radio programs 33%. 55% Parents also indicated that distribution of self-study materials through local leaders was not the best approach, 45% still believed that since that since of the corona virus season where movement was restricted the approach was good. Parents also suggested alternative ways of distributing material e.g., materials would have been taken to the schools or worship places and students would have picked them from there, they also suggested village teaching by qualified teachers as well as door to door by government. 3 c) Challenges if any, related to quantify/ sufficiency of materials and how they were addressed if at all; • The exercise created a lot of discontent as a result of most people missing out on the materials. • Inadequate copies of materials dispatched, since there was no prior census conducted to establish numbers. • Lack of photocopier facilities and exorbitant costs where available. • Local leaders concentrated on homes near them and to only their supporters. • Many parents and student did not bother to follow up the distribution and share where possible. • Some officials demanded for money. • Poor feedback and inadequate manpower. • Students were oblivious of the presence of the information and its whereabout. • The materials were not provided regularly, there was no distribution schedule. The following Solutions were suggested to Address the Challenges on 3c • Stakeholders need to be informed about the program; Government should make announcements over radio and TV so as to create awareness, Government should distribute sufficient copies, LCs should register learners according to their classes before distributing, materials should be delivered to the nearby schools to make distribution much easier. OBJECTIVE TWO: LEARNING DYNAMICS It was specifically intended to guide the following; i) Establish whether home environments were conducive to effective learning process. ii) Investigate if learners had required human and logistical support effectively benefit from the home-schooling program. iii) Investigate coping means in any, adopted by learners. FINDINGS: 2 i) Suitability of Home Environment for Learning • Majority of students revised on a daily basis and organized their self-study and predetermined routine. • Some of the content provided as revision materials had not been covered in class by some students. • In absence of answers provided, marking a big challenge. • A big number of students appreciated the home-schooling program and indicated that it assisted them to revise, learning new content and keeping them busy. • Parents directly and indirectly supported their children’s home learning in various ways. • Parents did not regularly go through self-study materials or attend TV/radio programmes with their children. 2 ii) Whether Learners had the required human and logistical support to effectively benefit from home schooling • Some parents had a schedule to guide their children to study at home. • There were challenges that were related to places where the students studied during the lockdown. • Parents gave suggestions on how home learning can be improved upon. • Teachers rendered their service in supporting home schooling in their local areas. OBJECTIVE THREE: RATING HOME SCHOOLING MATERIALS This objective specifically targeted the quality home schooling materials with special focus on the following; i) Determining whether the materials were learner friendly with due regard to: learner level, different cognitive abilities, different home environments, physical ability of learners (specifically catered for special needs students) ii) Establishing whether quality of materials conformed to standards expected of self-study (distance delivery mode) materials. 3 i) Whether materials were learner friendly All Materials (NCDC, radio/TV programs) were rated poor on the following aspects; • Compatibility with learner’s level in target classes. • Catering for learners with varying abilities. • Catering for learners with special needs. • Addressing learner’s different home environments. • Clarity and aiding comprehension. • Facilitating acquisition of skills. • Assessment of learners on content covered. NCDC materials were rated as good on suitability as revision materials. Radio and TV programs were rated as poor on this aspect. 3 ii) Conformity to standards expected of self-study materials Good Fair Poor Guidance on

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