July 2017— Issue n°4

- ATL in the libraries

- National Teacher Policy

- Active Teaching & Learning Day

- Support to Human Resources

- Bus for HTC Mulago

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CLASSROOM CONNECTIONS

« Alone we can do so

little, together we can

do so much! »

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News from TIET Is teaching a profession? What makes a teacher professional? Can teaching ever revive the

esteem and glory in which this vocation was held in years gone by? And the lamentations go

on… until now! Under the wise leadership of the Ministry of Education and Sports top

management, TIET department is in the final stages of steering the National teacher Policy,

the first comprehensive policy that deals with teacher issues in Uganda, through all MoES

approval processes before submission to Cabinet.

The goal of the Policy is to consolidate the various provisions

on teacher issues that are scattered in different documents and

to update and address any contradictions and gaps that exist

therein.

- Uplift the status of the teaching profession into one that is

attractive to the best prospective trainees

- To infuse more dynamism into the teacher (and teacher

education) subsector in order to promote positive vertical and

horizontal mobility of teachers through lifelong learning

(continuous professional development) and reflective practice

- To attract, motivate and retain the best persons in the

teaching profession by evaluating and rewarding effectiveness,

creativity, innovation and professionalism, and providing more

opportunities for career development

- To ensure the highest standards in the provision of pre-

service training, regular in-service training and continuous

professional development of teachers and teacher trainers, and

to ensure these trainings are linked, serve to promote relevant

competences, and link the teachers and teacher educators

- To ensure the conditions necessary for teachers to fulfil their professional activity effectively and efficiently are provided.

- Creation of an enabling policy, legal and institutional environ-

ment in the management and development of teacher issues.

- Establishment of a coherent and systematic approach by all

education actors involved in the management and development

of teachers and the learning environment

- Adoption and utilization of modern learning methods and use

effective use of technology in promoting and enhancing life-long

learning for national development.

- Enhanced capacity of the Ministry of Education and sports in

the provision of policy leadership, technical support, guidance,

supervision, monitoring and inspection of teachers and the

learning environment.

- Enhancement of the learning process for acquiring lifelong

knowledge and skills for improved educational outcomes and

improved standards of living.

- Establishment of a clear framework to guide teacher profes-

sional development.

- Promotion of highly motivated, professional and ethically up-right teaching force in Uganda

The proposed policy moots the establishment of a regulatory

body (a Teacher Council, perhaps?) which will be charged with

operationalizing most of the policy positions and strategies. This

Council will operate more or less like the regulatory bodies in

Law, Medical, Accountants and other professions and will take

on the role of enrolling teachers into the profession, maintaining

discipline and recognizing outstanding achievements by tea-

chers.

Watch this space for developments in regard to the

proposed Teacher Policy in our next TIET Newsletter

editions!

Nic Abilonino, the new infrastructure will motivate both instructors and students to

give their all.

ICT classes in Arua, preparing future teachers in 21st century skills.

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News from -HTC Mulago Libraries are seldom valued by some people in schools, universities and organizations.

However, in training institutions where teaching, learning and research are core functions,

students value libraries a lot as the only trusted place where they can get the information

they need to accomplish their goal(s).

(HTCM) for example, health tutor students frequently visit the library to search for the

information, have private reading and also share information through group discussions. Before HTCM had a library, tutor stu-

dents would come wondering in the small book store searching for the reference materials but all in vain. The only assistance

they could get from the library staff then was to be given a book of which they had to read from outside the library and in any case

the book was out dated and not very relevant to their information needs.

Today, on the courtesy of the Belgium Technical Corporation/ Teacher Instructor and Education Training (BTC/TTE) project,

HTCM received a pedagogical block and a library inclusive equipped with necessary library books, an automated library system

(KOHA), and trained library staff. The library has two discussion rooms, enough reading space, server room, computer laboratory.

It also has staff space, wireless internet, up-to-date reference materials and enough furniture which could all work as motivational

factors to encourage tutor students to use the library to realize effective teaching, learning and research. Upon realizing that

during the day tutor students are occupied and engaged with full time lectures, the library management together with the college

administration decided to extend the library operating hours from the usual 8:00am – 5:00pm to 8:00am -9pm during week days

and also to ensure that the library operates on weekends. All these measures are aimed at encouraging health tutor students use

the library as effective and maxim as possible.

Notably, with the current stock of new library reference consignment from BTC/TTE project, a considerable increase in the use of

the library by health tutor students has been realized. Health tutor students now confidently come to the library rest assured to get

what they need. Tutor students value the new books in the library as being current and relevant for their disciplines of study. In

addition, the conducive reading environment that caters for private self-study and group discussions enhanced with fully con-

nected wireless internet encourage tutor students to trust the college library.

Finally, to be regarded as a complete safe house for information, the library management together with HTCM administration are

focusing on making the college library as more user friendly as possible. Key issues under consideration are: installing an electro-

nic library, frequently stocking the library with enough current and relevant reference materials, subscribing to electronic resour-

ces, and involving library users in the library initiatives.

The library in Mulago as a learning hub, during a training for librarians. Hand-over of books at Mulago library

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Support to the development of human resources -update

In order to improve service delivery,

Belgium and Uganda have set-up a

multisector project that focuses on

Support to the Development of

Human Resources (SDHR).

The project’s vision is to improve

knowledge, skills and attitudes of

Human Resources so they are better

at their jobs. Its mission is to provide

Human Resource Development to

selected beneficiary organisations and

embed it in their strategy to improve

service delivery.

In the Education sector 21

organisations were selected, 12 of

them have a mandate that relates to

Teacher Education: 5 NTCs (Kabale,

Kaliro, Mubende, Muni, Unyama), Abi-

lonino Instructors College, the Teacher

Education & Development Studies (TE

& DS) Department of Kyambogo

University, NCDC and 4 departments

of the Ministry of Education and Sports

(TIET, CMU, PDU, HRM).

- To realise the policy shift projected by the National Training Plan from training as a

reward or salary supplement towards training as a means to improve competence

and performance, a demand driven training approach that meets organisational

and individual performance needs and that emphasis practice, performance and

competence, is a must. In a demand driven approach, ownership is crucial and

works when organisations are involved in all stages of HRD planning, implementa-

tion and evaluation.

- Training planning, right selection of participants and a good set of procedures for

transparent training management are key in promoting efficient and effective utili-

zation of resources (value for money).

- Training does not stop when participants obtain the learning outcomes, the final goal

is improving performance on the job (change)! An effective use of action plans

where learning links to improvement is a key as well as the provision of training to

teams of various people of the same organisation to achieve critical mass that can

support the application of the learning at the workplace.

- Non-conventional training techniques such as study and exchange visits enable peer-

to-peer learning and have the potential to trigger innovation and creativity because

the learning environment is the working environment. In their action plans after this

visits, many organisations included innovation oriented activities that can bring

change in their institutions.

- In education facilities there are quite some issues with respect to the quantity, quality

and retention of human resources. To tackle these issues, the HR function in the

sector needs more coordination and needs to explore synergies.

SDHR strengthened organisations to

define objectives to improve their

organisational performance. It then

assisted the organisations to develop

a Human Resource Development

(HRD) and Training Plan based on

the performance objectives. And right

now it supports the implementation of

selected activities from the HRD and

Training Plan and through conse-

quent action planning that links learn-

ing to performance, the project en-

sures improved staff performance at

the workplace, increased transfer of

learning and contributes to organisa-

tional development and change.

- That this project runs up to end March 2019.

- That SDHR aligns to the principles of the National Training policy being professional-

ism, transparency, equal opportunity, affirmative action, demand driven approach

and value for money.

- That all the selected education organisations defined their improvement goals and

used them to develop their own HRD and training plan and budget.

- That in the education sector BTC invests 1,244,000 EUR in implementation of select-

ed activities from these HRD and Training Plans. 90,500 EUR of that

investment is already used (7.2%) by 9 organisations.

- That so far 73 staff members have benefited (27 women and 46 men).

- That we contribute to the specific objective of the National Training Policy to use more

non-conventional training techniques such as coaching, feedback, mentoring, at-

tachments, study and exchange visits, as well as promote distance learning. So far

SDHR realised in the Education Sector 7 study visits, 3 attachments and 3 short

courses. In setting up these activities we also make a deliberate effort to avoid

unreasonable service delivery downtime.

- That conventional learning methods (long-term training) are still supported. SDHR

supports long term training for 5 staff members in the areas of computer graphics

skills, Human Resource Management, leadership and management, records and

archives management. All these staff members signed a bonding agreement.

- That BTC in this project coordinates its training actions with the TTE projects. As all

these projects look towards the same goal of providing the best teacher training

and education for students, fostering synergy and guaranteeing a complementary

approach is important. TTE supports the broader institutional development of the

NTCs, while SDHR supports only a part of that broader development, it is staff

development.

- That better performing staff also create an enabling setting in their organisation to

implement result-based changes.

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Update on NTC Muni Library Greetings from NTC Muni, Arua district in

the Pearl of Africa, Uganda. We are glad to

be a part of this Newsletter that we are sure

you will enjoy reading.

NTC Muni Library is part of the larger National Tea-

chers College, Muni, which is located in Arua, North

Western Uganda- West Nile Region.

Our mission as a library, is to provide equal access

to quality information resources and services that

support active teaching and learning, research and

innovation. We have a collection of print, audiovisu-

al items, a reference section and we are also equip-

ped with computers connected with internet access.

We serve mainly College students who, at the end

of their study, attain Diplomas in Secondary and Pri-

mary Teaching.

With support from Ms. Barbra Radelli and the entire

BTC Team, Haji Abdul Kibedi, TIET and Ministry of

Education and Sports, we have been able to get re-

sources such as a Printer/Photocopier which eases

work and earns some income for the Library.

KOHA (an open source web based Integrated Li-

brary system software) has also been installed in

the Library which will improve service at the Library.

An Offline database Repository (RACHEL), is also

used, both in the Library and the Computer Labora-

tory, which is very helpful to students and teachers

in teaching, learning and research.

The Library team has also been supported by BTC

through workshops and trainings which has beefed

up our expertise and ability to provide quality and

user friendly services.

The Library is open Monday – Saturday, 8:00 am to

10:00 pm in the evening. Our major focus is to pro-

vide user friendly and quality services to our com-

munity

We would love to hear from you. Like our Facebook

Page @ Ntcmunilibrary and leave a comment!

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Pirates and treasures in Kaliro

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The long awaited bus for Health Tutors’ College made its

maiden visit to its permanent home on 19th June 2017.

The whole College community was full of excitement as

the bus procured for aiding the teaching and learning at

Health Tutors’ College Mulago made its way to the Col-

lege. The 33 Seater bus will help in transporting students

to and from the practicum sites for school practice, place-

ments for Primary Health Care, Public Health, Reproduc-

tive Health and Nutrition.

It has always been a challenge transporting students,

learners to and from these practicum sites and supervi-

sors providing support supervision to these sites. In her

speech, the Commissioner TIET Dr. Jane Egau encour-

aged the school administration to use the bus for peda-

gogical activities and also to maintain the bus so that it

serves for a long period of time.

The Coordinator BTC/TTE Project Haj. Abdul

Kibedi also re-echoed the same in the presence

of representatives from BTC, Barbara and Han-

nes. The Principal thanked the BTC/TTE Project

for the transformations done at Health Tutors’

College Mulago in terms of infrastructure that is

the new pedagogical block, kitchen, library, skills

laboratories; the continuous professional devel-

opment for the staff members and active teaching

and learning.

HTC Mulago and its new bus

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