Adapting “Learning to Learn” through Government Systems

A recent paper, titled “Learning to Teach by Learning to Learn”, with funding from J-PAL's Post-Primary Education initiative, provides evidence for a transformative and cost-effective general skills teacher training program in Uganda. The National Planning Authority (NPA) and the Teacher Education and Training Department (TETD) in the Ministry of Education and Sports (MoES) have encouraged us to consider means of adapting the training through government systems. The newly instituted National Teacher Policy (2019) requires teachers to participate in continuous professional development (CPD) on a regular basis. As such, the capacity of Government to provide such training has to increase in the next several years. Discussions with NPA and TETD have led to a three-pronged approach. First, qualitative research will highlight design principles to aid adaptation and implementation of the training through Core Primary Teachers Colleges (CPTCs) and Center Coordinating Tutors (CCTs), the latter of which play a role similar to the implementing partner’s tutors in the above paper. Second, workshops with key stakeholders will both increase stakeholder engagement and ensure the training can integrate into Government’s evolving framework for teacher incentives and education. Third, an initial pilot training towards the end of the project period will resolve issues in the intervention design. Future proposals will seek to evaluate the adaptation as it scales through the CPTC system.