Officers from STIA and LGF with the trainers from Ministry of Education and Sports after three day training in life skills
A week-long Training of Trainers (ToT) workshop concluded on Saturday June 14, equipping officers from Science Teaching and Innovations Africa (STIA) and Luigi Giussani Foundation (LGF) with the skills needed to train teachers, teenagers, and community leaders across Uganda under the Uganda Secondary Education Expansion Project (USEEP). The training, held from Tuesday, June 10 to Saturday, June 14, 2025, focuses on Subcomponent 2.1: Safety in Schools, a key initiative by the Ministry of Education and Sports, funded by the World Bank. The component addresses issues of child safety, life skills development, gender-based violence, HIV awareness, and the elimination of corporal punishment in schools.
Joy Mukisa Ntege, from the Ministry of Education, leads the Lifeskills training
A week of transformational learning
The first three days were facilitated by Allen Baguma Kyomugisha and Joy Mukisa Ntege, trainers from the Ministry of Education and Sports. The officers explored: Introduction to the Life Skills Toolkit, Forming Effective Clubs with Competency-Based Learning, Practical Teaching Techniques (Modules 1, 3, and 5), Project-Based Learning and Facilitator Roles (Modules 2, 4, 6, and 7)
These sessions aimed to prepare officers to deliver transformative training to secondary school teachers and community leaders in the 116 USEEP-supported schools across 64 districts in Uganda
Ronald Kabunga from Ministry of Education, leads training
Allen Baguma leads the training
Addressing Gender-Based Violence, HIV, and Nutrition
Led by Herman Makanga and Ronald Kabunga, Day Four delved into sensitive but vital topics: How gender-based violence contributes to HIV spread, Nutrition as a core component of child safety and Integrating life skills into the Journeys for Secondary Schools program According to the Ministry of Health, over 36,000 new HIV infections were recorded in the last six months, with the majority among youth aged 14–24. This underscores the urgency of equipping educators with the tools to address these issues in their schools.
Nabaasa Stuart, Patricia and Muhangi John, listen to Joy Mukisa Ntege during the training
Breaking the Cycle of Corporal Punishment
Despite Article 34 of Uganda’s Constitution prohibiting corporal punishment, it remains a challenge in some schools. The final day of the training focused on: Understanding the legal framework around child protection, Identifying alternative discipline methods and Promoting positive behavior management strategies Once again, facilitators Makanga Herman and Ronald Kabunga led the sessions with engaging and practical content designed to help trainers shift school cultures away from violence.
Makanga Herman from Ministry of Education and Sports, leads training on School Safety
Looking Ahead
Officers from STIA and LGF are now fully equipped to roll out these trainings across Uganda. By promoting safer learning environments and empowering both teachers and learners, the project aims to reduce school-related gender-based violence, support mental and physical health, and foster leadership skills among adolescents. As part of USEEP’s broader mission, these efforts contribute to creating an education system that is inclusive, safe, and transformative.
Trainees performing opening rituals during the training
About the Project
USEEP (Uganda Secondary Education Expansion Project) is a Ministry of Education initiative funded by the World Bank. It targets increased access, quality, and safety in secondary education. Subcomponent 2.1 focuses on school safety and is currently being implemented in 116 schools across 64 districts in Uganda.