In Uganda, students do not have the same opportunities to receive practical teaching during school hours

Ulrika and Charlotte had arranged a study visit to Jämtland’s gymnasium Wargentin. During the visit, they met staff and pupils at the adapted upper secondary school. Pamela and Patrick found that the business is quite different from the school in Uganda. The lack of resources is a fundamental problem.

In schools in Sweden, teachers often have assistant teachers. “This is not what it looks like in Uganda,” Pamela said.

Students with special needs attend the regular school and it is common for a single teacher to be responsible for a large class. Those students who have special needs will then be obscured, she says.

“The majority drop out of school, and I think it’s because of the lack of individual support,” she says.

Another explanation for the drop-out is that the requirements for students are equal regardless of their prerequisites.

“In our country, all students have the same curriculum and examinations, it’s not like here that the syllabus and grading system are adapted for students with special needs,” Patrick says.

Some of the students at Hotel, Restaurant and Bakery: Georges Younes, Casper Danebäck, Vutt Thongphanchang, Eid Ali Zada och Olivia Nordborg Sjölander.

During the study visit, the researchers met a class that joins the program for hotels, restaurants, and bakery. The students agreed that the most fun part is the lessons in the kitchen where they can cook and bake.

“In Uganda, students don't have the same opportunities to get practical education during school time because of larger classes, there’s more practice here,” says Pamela Nizeyimana.

Research collaboration

The overall objective of the research project is to increase the opportunities for pupils with special educational needs to access, participate, stay, and complete their education in primary and secondary schools in Uganda. The aim of the research project is to improve educational outcomes among children and adolescents in primary and secondary schools in Uganda with a focus on disability and gender equality, by creating equal participation and knowledge acquisition through capacity building among principals, teachers, children, young people, and parents/guardians in Uganda.

— Charlotte, Patrick and Pamela have collaborated since 2019 and I have been part of the collaboration since this year, but this is the first time we have all met physically," says Ulrika Danielsson.

— Right now, we are looking for financiers and are working on an application for our joint research project. So far, we have financed the cooperation through internal funds," says Charlotte Andoh-Appiah.

This autumn Ulrika and Charlotte will visit schools in Uganda.

Those included in the project are:

• Ulrika Danielsson Senior Lecturer at Psychology and Head of Department of Psychology and Social Work.
• Charlotte Andoh-Appiah Senior Lecturer at Social Work at the Department of Psychology and Social Work.
• Pamela Nizeyimana Senior Lecturer at Mountains of the Moon University, Uganda, Department of Special Needs and Inclusive Education. 
• Patrick Ojok, Senior Lecturer and Head of Department of Community and Disability Studies at Kyambogo University.