"Teaching as Collective" fellowship programme

Teach For Uganda (TFU) is a local NGO whose mission is to nurture leaders who are committed to advancing equitable access to quality education for children in underserved communities. TFU recruits, trains, and places young university graduates (known as “fellows”) in rural public schools to teach foundational literacy, numeracy and 21_^st century skills whilst enhancing their leadership skills through a two-year teaching fellowship.

In 1997, Uganda passed a law granting all children free access to primary education. Since then, enrolment in primary schools has risen sharply. However, the number of teachers has not increased in line with the growth in pupil numbers. In addition, existing teachers receive very little training and are expressing a real need for in-service training. So despite attending school, children do not necessarily learn. 72% of primary school leavers are unable to read and understand a story appropriate to their age, and 45% have serious shortcomings in mathematics. Furthermore, 65% of children who enrol in primary school drop out before completing the programme (2018 UWEZO report).

In response to these challenges, TFU provides continuous professional development to the young graduates in tandem with established teachers, encouraging them to work together to improve the learning outcomes of pupils. This approach not only helps to train fellows, but also enhances the skills of existing teachers.

The project supported by the Audemars Piguet Foundation for Common Good aims to recruit 100 fellows a year until 2026, in order to have an impact on more than 5,600 pupils each year in 70 schools, and more than 16,800 over three years. Over the next five years, TFU aims to strengthen its impact in the ten regions where the programme already exists.