The Rebirth of Quality Education in Uganda: Wells Project - Uganda

Abstract
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LGIHE implemented a 2 years WELLS project to contribute to the re-birth of quality education in Uganda through the delivery of an education proposal that ignites a dynamic change with a whole-schoolapproach where school leaders, teachers, students, parents and other key stakeholders collaborate towards the personal, holistic growth of life-long learners. The project activities were fully implemented in 9 schools (5 Primary and 4 Secondary).In order to assess the achievement of the goals, objectives and indicators of the project as a result of LGIHE’s interventions, an endline study was conducted in the 9 project schools. Specifically, the endline study was conducted to: (i) ascertain the extent to which the project indicators have been achieved; (ii) assess the effectiveness of the project interventions; (iii)assess the sustainability of the project interventions; and (iv) assess the degree of satisfaction of the school leaders with the project implementation process.

The endline study employed a mixed-methods approach, utilizing both qualitative and quantitative research methods. The methods included: a survey with 9 headteachers; a survey with 133 teachers; teachers’ classroom observations targeting those who were observed at baseline (112 teachers); students’ soft skills survey targeting Senior two students who were assessed at baseline while in Senior one (285 students); FGDs with teachers; FGDs with Seniortwo and Senior three students; group interviews with SMC/BOG and PTA representatives; KIIswith school leaders; and documentation review.The endline study revealed that 67% of the school leaders demonstrated improved leadership skills. Furthermore, 65% of the school leaders had successfully completed and graduated in the

School Leadership and Management course of LGIHE. School leaders acknowledged the School Leadership and Management course for having equipped them with knowledge and skills
relevant in managing issues in their school.LGIHE’s interventions have also tremendously contributed to an improvement in teachers’ pedagogical teaching methods. Teachers’ classroom observations revealed that 78% of the teachers demonstrated improved pedagogical teaching methods through prior lesson planning and preparation, use of appropriate teaching and learning aids and employed formatively driven classroom techniques. Classroom observations further revealed that, 76% of the teachers employed improved teaching methods for accelerated literacy while 82% of the teachers had improved assessment and evaluation methods.Most schools had either active PTA or SMC/BOG committees. The committee members reported to have understood their roles and responsibilities in the school as result of LGIHE’s interventions. Furthermore, 67% of the schools had active SMC/BOG and PTA committees.In regards to sustainability, all the schools practice strategies aimed at sustaining the knowledge and skills acquired from LGIHE trainings. These include but not limited to: staff review meetings, departmental meetings, PTA and SMC/BOG meetings, parents’ meetingstogether with the teachers and students; staff support supervision, among others.

Lastly, in regards to the degree of satisfaction of the school leaders with the project implementation process, the satisfaction levels ranged from 58% to 97%, with an average score of 83% which indicates a moderate to high level of satisfaction.Based on the findings of this study, the following key recommendations are made:
For LGIHE
- Improving feedback mechanism: School leaders and the teachers stressed the need for immediate feedback on various activities conducted to be used as a reference while embarking on improving their practices. This could be done through availing the various training and field reports to the schools.
- Sensitisation of school leaders on the need for extracurricular activities in schools: There is need to create awareness of the importance of extracurricular activities such as games and sports, clubs and music, dance and drama in the development of students' skills. Participation of children in such activities helps to improve their talents and serves as a forum to develop their soft and high order thinking skills.
- Trainings for learners: During focus group discussions with teachers and interviews with school leaders for secondary schools, a need was realized to extend trainings to the learners so that they can be helped to understand themselves and their value. The training could as well be used to emphasize the importance of education to them.

For Schools
- Need to improve on record keeping: Records are crucial for decision making and making appropriate strategies improving teaching and learning in the school. School leaders need to adopt a culture of documenting all records of school activities such as minutes and attendance lists for meetings for future reference.
- Sensitization of parents on their role in the education of their children: Though an improvement in parents' participation has been achieved during the course of the project, there is still need to sensitize them on their roles in regards to education of children.

Geographic coverage
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The study was condusted in the districts of Pallisa, Kampala, Tororo, Kyenjojo, and Wakiso in Uganda

Analysis unit
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Basic units of analysis are as follows:

- Teacher survey and classroom observation had teachers as the units of analysis
- Student survey had individual students as the units of analysis
- School information survey had the schools as the as the units of analysis.

Universe
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The study covered teachers teaching in nursery, primary and secondary classes and surveyed students in secondary school.

Sampling procedure
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The study population comprised of students, teachers, SMC/BOG and PTA representatives and school leaders of the project schools.
Headteachers' survey: In each school, a headteacher was asked to complete the school information questionnaire (9 headteachers in total).
Furthermore, each school headteacher completed the weighted checklist for assessing their degree of satisfaction with the implementation process (9 headteachers in total).
Focus Group Discussions: Discussions with 6-12 teachers were conducted. The participants included: teachers who had participated in the various trainings by LGIHE; at least 1 representative from each class/level, a mixture of males and females, those teaching Arts and Science subjects; and excluding Headteachers, Deputy headteachers, and Directors of studies (1 FGD per school, totalling to 7 FGDs).
Furthermore, students of Senior 2 and Senior 3 participated in the FGDs whereby in each school, 3 males and 3 females from each class were considered (1 FGD per school, totalling to 4 FGDs).
KIIs with stakeholders: In each school, a headteacher was interviewed (totalling to 8 headteachers).
Group interview: Interviews with 2-4 PTA and SMC/BOG representatives were conducted (1 interview per school, totalling to 5 interviews)1.
Teachers' survey: A survey for all the teachers who participated in at least one training of LGIHE was conducted. A total of 133 teachers participated in the survey.
Students' survey: A total of 387 Senior 2 students who participated in the baseline study (i.e., those who were in Senior 1 in 2018) were targeted for the soft skills survey. Overall, 285 students participated in the endline study.
Classroom observations: Lessons of 156 teachers who were observed at baseline were targeted. Overall, 112 teachers were observed at endline.

Mode of data collection
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Face-to-face [f2f]

Research instrument
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Document review: The Evaluation team reviewed documents related to the project in order to inform the study, more so the tool development process. Additionally, school related documents such as: parents’meeting minutes and SMC/BOG minutes, etc. were reviewed.

Headteachers’ survey: A survey with headteachers or deputy headteachers was conducted in order to establish general information about the schools. A school informationquestionnaire that was used at baseline was adapted for this. Furthermore, school leaders were asked to assess their degree of satisfaction with the implementation process of the project. A weighted checklist was developed for this.

Teachers’ survey: A survey for teachers that aimed at assessing Headteachers’ school leadership and management skills and other issues related to the project, was conducted. The tool that was used at the baseline was adapted for this.

Students’ Survey: A survey for secondary school students aimed at ascertaining the levels of their soft skills was conducted. A soft skill tool that was developed by LGIHE during the learning outcomes study,and employed at baseline study, was adapted. Students wereasked to self-complete the questionnaires with the guidance of the LGIHE research personnel.

Classroom Observations: A classroom observation rubrics that entails items on pedagogical teaching approaches, assessment and evaluation that was used at baseline was adopted. The observations duringlessons were done by an LGIHE project staff with vast experience in assessment and evaluation. He/she scored the rubrics based on the lesson(s) observed.

KIIs with various stakeholders: Interviews with headteachers or deputy headteachers wereconducted to describe and explore related aspects of the project. An interview guide wasdeveloped for this.

Group interviews: Interviews with 2-4 participants of the PTA and SMC/BOG committees were conducted to describe and explore how the LGIHE trainings have facilitated their roles and responsibilities, what they have put in practice as a result of the various trainings, and the most significant change they have observed in the school, etc. An interview guide wasdeveloped for this.

Focus Group Discussions (FGDs): Discussions comprising of 6-12 teachers of the project schools were conducted to describe and explore how the LGIHE trainings have facilitated their pedagogical approaches, what has worked well for them, what has not worked for them, what they have put in place to ensure sustainability, and the most significant change they have observed in their lives, fellow teachers, administrators, etc. A FGD guide wasdeveloped for this. Furthermore, discussions comprising of 6-10 students from Senior two 4and Senior Three were conducted to explore the changes students have observed in the teachers and administrators as a result of LGIHE trainings. A FGD guide was developed for this

Cleaning operations
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Data entry was performed using Epidata (Version 3.1) that controls for data input errors and safeguards data integrity, and also eases the process of export to the analytical packages while data analysis was conducted using STATA (Version 13) that allows for merging, editing and cleaning. The results were disaggregated by school.

摘要
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LGIHE实施了为期两年的WELLS项目，旨在通过提供一项能够激发学校全面变革的教育提案，为乌干达教育质量的复兴贡献力量。该项目采用全方位的学校方法，使学校领导者、教师、学生、家长及其他关键利益相关者协作，共同促进终身学习者的个人及全面成长。项目活动在9所学校（5所小学和4所中学）中得到全面实施。为了评估LGIHE干预措施对项目目标、目标和指标实现的影响，对9所项目学校进行了终期研究。具体而言，终期研究旨在：（i）确认项目指标实现的程度；（ii）评估项目干预措施的有效性；（iii）评估项目干预措施的可持续性；（iv）评估学校领导者对项目实施过程的满意度。

终期研究采用了混合方法，结合定性和定量研究方法。研究方法包括：对9位校长的调查；对133位教师的调查；针对在基线时被观察的教师进行的课堂观察（112位教师）；针对在基线时评估的初级二学生的软技能调查（285名学生）；与教师的焦点小组讨论；与初级二和初级三学生的焦点小组讨论；与SMC/BOG和PTA代表的小组访谈；与学校领导者的个别访谈；以及文件审查。终期研究显示，67%的学校领导者展现了领导技能的改善。此外，65%的学校领导者已成功完成并毕业自LGIHE的《学校领导与管理》课程。学校领导者承认《学校领导与管理》课程使他们具备了管理学校问题的相关知识和技能。LGIHE的干预措施也极大地促进了教师教学方法的改进。课堂观察显示，78%的教师通过事先的课程规划和准备、使用适当的教学和学习辅助工具以及采用形成性驱动的课堂技术，展现了改进的教学方法。进一步观察发现，76%的教师采用了改进的教学方法以加速阅读能力的发展，而82%的教师改进了评估和评价方法。大多数学校都设有活跃的PTA或SMC/BOG委员会。委员会成员报告称，由于LGIHE的干预措施，他们已经理解了在学校中的角色和责任。此外，67%的学校拥有活跃的SMC/BOG和PTA委员会。关于可持续性，所有学校都实施了旨在维持从LGIHE培训中获得的知识和技能的策略。这些策略包括但不限于：员工评审会议、部门会议、PTA和SMC/BOG会议、家长会议（包括教师和学生）；员工支持监督等。

最后，关于学校领导者对项目实施过程的满意度，满意度水平从58%到97%不等，平均得分为83%，这表明满意度处于中等至较高水平。基于本研究的发现，以下关键建议被提出：
针对LGIHE
- 改进反馈机制：学校领导者和教师强调了需要立即反馈各种活动，以便作为改进实践时的参考。这可以通过向学校提供各种培训和现场报告来实现。
- 对学校领导者进行课外活动必要性的敏感性培训：有必要提高对学校课外活动（如游戏和体育、俱乐部和音乐、舞蹈和戏剧）在学生技能发展中的重要性的认识。儿童参与此类活动有助于提高他们的才能，并为他们提供一个发展软技能和高阶思维技能的论坛。
- 为学习者提供培训：在针对中学教师的焦点小组讨论和学校领导者的访谈中，意识到有必要将培训扩展到学习者，以帮助他们了解自己和他们的价值。这种培训还可以用来强调教育对他们的重要性。

针对学校
- 需要改进记录保存：记录对决策和制定改善教学和学习的适当策略至关重要。学校领导者需要采纳记录所有学校活动（如会议的会议记录和出勤名单）的文化，以供未来参考。
- 对家长在教育孩子中的角色进行敏感性培训：尽管在项目过程中已经实现了家长参与的改善，但仍需对他们在孩子教育中的角色进行敏感性培训。

地理覆盖范围
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研究在乌干达的Pallisa、Kampala、Tororo、Kyenjojo和Wakiso地区进行。

分析单元
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以下为基本分析单元：

- 教师调查和课堂观察以教师为分析单元
- 学生调查以个别学生为分析单元
- 学校信息调查以学校为分析单元。

总体
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本研究涵盖了在幼儿园、小学和中学教授的教师，以及对中学学生进行的调查。

抽样程序
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研究人群包括项目学校的教师、SMC/BOG和PTA代表以及学校领导者。
校长调查：在每所学校，要求一位校长完成学校信息问卷（共9位校长）。
此外，每位学校校长完成了一份评估他们对项目实施过程满意度的加权清单（共9位校长）。
焦点小组讨论：与6-12位教师进行了讨论。参与者包括：参加过LGIHE各种培训的教师；每个班级/级别的至少1位代表，男女混合，教授艺术和科学科目的教师；不包括校长、副校长和学习主任（每所学校1次焦点小组讨论，共7次）。
此外，初级二和初级三的学生参与了焦点小组讨论。在每所学校，每个班级3名男生和3名女生被认为（每所学校1次焦点小组讨论，共4次）。
与利益相关者的个别访谈：在每所学校，对一位校长进行了访谈（共8位校长）。
小组访谈：对2-4位PTA和SMC/BOG代表进行了访谈（每所学校1次访谈，共5次）1。
教师调查：对至少参加过LGIHE一次培训的所有教师进行了调查。共有133位教师参与了调查。
学生调查：共有387名初级二学生（即2018年在初级一的学生）被目标为软技能调查。总体而言，285名学生参与了终期研究。
课堂观察：针对在基线时被观察的156位教师的课程进行了观察。总体而言，112位教师接受了终期观察。

数据收集方式
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面对面 [f2f]

研究工具
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文件审查：评估团队审查了与项目相关的文件，以便为研究提供信息，尤其是工具开发过程。此外，还审查了与学校相关的文件，如：家长会议记录和SMC/BOG会议记录等。

校长调查：对校长或副校长进行了调查，以了解学校的一般信息。在基线时使用的学校信息问卷被用于此。此外，要求学校领导者评估他们对项目实施过程的满意度。为此开发了一份加权清单。

教师调查：对教师进行的调查旨在评估校长的学校领导与管理技能以及与项目相关的其他问题。在基线时使用的工具被用于此。

学生调查：对中学学生进行的调查旨在确定他们的软技能水平。由LGIHE在学习成果研究中开发的软技能工具被用于此。学生需要在LGIHE研究人员的指导下自行完成问卷。

课堂观察：采用了在基线时使用的包含教学方法、评估和评价等方面的项目观察评分标准。课堂观察由具有丰富评估和评价经验的LGIHE项目工作人员进行。他/她根据观察到的课程评分评分标准。

与各种利益相关者的个别访谈：对校长或副校长进行了访谈，以描述和探讨与项目相关的相关方面。为此开发了一份访谈指南。

小组访谈：对2-4位PTA和SMC/BOG委员会的参与者进行了访谈，以描述和探讨LGIHE培训如何促进他们的角色和责任，他们如何根据各种培训采取行动，以及他们在学校观察到的最显著的变化等。为此开发了一份访谈指南。

焦点小组讨论（FGD）：对6-12位项目学校的教师进行了讨论，以描述和探讨LGIHE培训如何促进他们的教学方法，哪些对他们有效，哪些无效，他们采取了哪些措施以确保可持续性，以及他们在生活、同事、管理人员等方面的最显著变化等。为此开发了一份FGD指南。此外，对6-10名初级二和初级三的学生进行了讨论，以探讨学生由于LGIHE培训而观察到的教师和管理人员的变化。为此开发了一份FGD指南。

数据清理操作
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数据录入使用Epidata（版本3.1）进行，该软件控制数据输入错误并保护数据完整性，同时简化了导出到分析软件包的过程。数据分析使用STATA（版本13）进行，该软件允许合并、编辑和清理数据。结果按学校分解。