Student-teachers’ experiences of microteaching on an economics methods course

Microteaching is a technique used in the training of student teachers worldwide. This study explores student teachers’ experiences of microteaching on an Economics methodology course at the School of Education Makerere University in Uganda. The sample included 28student teachers who had conducted microteaching during the academic years 2015-2016 and 2016-2017. Data were collected using individual interviews, document analysis and focus group discussions; and analyzed using content analysis. The study found microteaching to be valuable to Economics student teachers in improving their skills in lesson planning, communication, content knowledge, use of teaching aids, classroom organization, and management. Microteaching was however not so effective in the area of student assessment.Keywords: Microteaching, student teachers’ experiences, Economics method

Uganda Government Livestock Sector Prioritization in Uganda under the Agriculture Sector Strategic Plan (ASSP)

Irish Ai

Operationalising district hand pump mechanic associations: a case of Uganda

Although a lot of effort and initiatives have been put in place, the issue of functionality of hand pumps in Uganda is still a big challenge currently at 83%. The non-functional hand pumps are reported to be spread all over the Districts of the country. The main reasons for the low functionality of the hand pumps were identified as lack of effective hand pump mechanics in the communities to repair the hand pumps coupled with lack of spare parts. A need was therefore identified to support the user communities to ensure sustainable use and maintenance of the rural hand pumps, One of the key areas was ensuring well trained and coordinated District hand pump mechanics associations (DHPMA) to carry out preventive and minor repairs on the hand pumps. The paper looks at: the formation of DHPMAs, efforts taken to operationalise them in the Districts, challenges and lessons learnt

Challenges of hygiene promotion in emergency situations in Uganda

Uganda has experienced a lot of emergencies caused by; civil conflict in the North, flooding in the North-East and disease outbreaks (cholera hepatitis E, yellow fever and Ebola), resulting into emergency hygiene promotional activities. Many agencies have been actively involved in hygiene promotion activities and strategic frameworks have been formulated to guide the whole process as an intervention mechanism. In-spite of all these, hygiene and sanitation related diseases like Hepatitis E and cholera have continued to break out among the affected communities indicating gaps in the hygiene promotion campaign. The paper analyzes the problems/challenges experienced during hygiene promotion campaigns and make recommendations for improvement in areas of: co-ordination, funding mechanism, monitoring and evaluation, community participation, political support, message design/targeting, approaches, tools/materials, gender considerations, relationship with communities, technical issues, resource availability, motivation factors, available skills and cultural aspects/attitudes and policies/leadership/political ownership

Effectiveness of the community-based maintenance system for rural water supply facilities in Uganda

CBMS was introduced in Uganda in 1986 to address challenges of functionality of rural water facilities. However functionality has stagnated for the last 5 years at 85% as opposed to the national target of 90% by 2015. The paper assesses the performance of the CMBS in Uganda, outlining the factors that affect it including the legal status of WSC, voluntary nature of the WSC members, willingness and ability of water users to contribute to O&M, availability of back-up support to WSCs, functionality of community support water artisans, the Supply Chain for Spare-parts, vandalism of water source parts, and women participation in CBMS. Analysis is made to the emerging community approaches and innovations in management of RWS facilities. Conclusions and recommendations are made to address the challenges identified

The role of business manager attitudes and perceptions in driving climate change risk action in the agricultural sector in Uganda

Much is already known about climate change risk mitigation and adaptation globally. However, much needs to be done to make this knowledge cascaded down to a business manager in the agricultural sector in Uganda. This study aimed to understand the role of business manager perceptions and attitudes in influencing climate change risk action in business organizations in the agricultural sector in Uganda with its particular climatic, social and economic circumstances. An assessment was made of whether and how the climate change risk perceptions of business managers from 16 companies engaged in downstream agricultural processing differ from 15 managers engaged in commercial agricultural production in Uganda. The study utilized a phenomenological approach using comparative case study method. The respondents were selected purposively from managed agriculture processor and producer companies. It is believed that the study of perceptions and beliefs involves uncovering tacit knowledge, knowledge in the minds of managers which cannot easily be articulated and documented. The study therefore made use of George Kelly’s Personal Construct theory and its repertory grid analysis technique for data collection, a very useful tool for making tacit knowledge explicit. The study examined nine risks as elements for the repertory grid exploring how business managers perceive there risks and how such perceptions influence their climate change risk action in the agriculture sector in Uganda. The study also intended to identify if there are variations in climate change risk perception between the agriculture producers and processors in Uganda. The personal constructs generated from respondents during the grid interviews are the units of analysis. The results were analyzed using Content analysis, and Honey’s data analysis procedures. The results indicate that as long as business managers perceive climate change risks to have an effect on their business continuity or survival, their production capacities, their profitability, their marketing decisions, affect their cost of production, influence their investment decisions, there are available response options, and consider that they have the capacity to manage those risks, they will take immediate action to put in place strategies to respond to those climate change risks. There is no appreciable variation in climate change risk perception between producers and processors. The study results provide policy makers an opportunity to understand what concerns business owners along the agriculture value chain for them to respond to climate change risks and also informs business owners the areas of key concern that they have to reflect on as they consider climate change risk strategies

Uganda's experience in Ebola virus disease outbreak preparedness, 2018-2019.

BACKGROUND: Since the declaration of the 10th Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) outbreak in DRC on 1st Aug 2018, several neighboring countries have been developing and implementing preparedness efforts to prevent EVD cross-border transmission to enable timely detection, investigation, and response in the event of a confirmed EVD outbreak in the country. We describe Uganda's experience in EVD preparedness. RESULTS: On 4 August 2018, the Uganda Ministry of Health (MoH) activated the Public Health Emergency Operations Centre (PHEOC) and the National Task Force (NTF) for public health emergencies to plan, guide, and coordinate EVD preparedness in the country. The NTF selected an Incident Management Team (IMT), constituting a National Rapid Response Team (NRRT) that supported activation of the District Task Forces (DTFs) and District Rapid Response Teams (DRRTs) that jointly assessed levels of preparedness in 30 designated high-risk districts representing category 1 (20 districts) and category 2 (10 districts). The MoH, with technical guidance from the World Health Organisation (WHO), led EVD preparedness activities and worked together with other ministries and partner organisations to enhance community-based surveillance systems, develop and disseminate risk communication messages, engage communities, reinforce EVD screening and infection prevention measures at Points of Entry (PoEs) and in high-risk health facilities, construct and equip EVD isolation and treatment units, and establish coordination and procurement mechanisms. CONCLUSION: As of 31 May 2019, there was no confirmed case of EVD as Uganda has continued to make significant and verifiable progress in EVD preparedness. There is a need to sustain these efforts, not only in EVD preparedness but also across the entire spectrum of a multi-hazard framework. These efforts strengthen country capacity and compel the country to avail resources for preparedness and management of incidents at the source while effectively cutting costs of using a "fire-fighting" approach during public health emergencies

Language endangerment and language documentation in Africa

Non peer reviewe

Community relationship in drilling activities

Community relationship in drilling activitie

Community Mobilization Through Facilitated Participatory Learning and Action Groups for Maternal and Newborn Health in Buikwe District

The Mother Conference and Reunion Presentations, 2018Background This project tested the Participatory Learning Action (PLA) cycle in mobilizing the community for improved maternal and newborn health. The project, promoted by the World Health Organization highlighted the importance of health promotion interventions that strengthen individual, family, and community capacity to contribute to improved health while addressing the quality of care in facilities in Buikwe District. Community mobilization was realized through facilitated participatory learning and action (PLA) cycles with women’s groups in rural settings with low access to maternal health services. Community mobilization through facilitated PLA cycles work by building the capacities of communities to organize and take action to address the social determinants of health that underpin maternal and newborn health. Objective The study aimed at reviewing the feasibility of community mobilization through facilitated PLA cycles for improved maternal and newborn health in Buikwe district Methods The PLA cycle follows a four- phase approach that involves joint efforts in identifying problems, solutions, implementing and assessing program impact together. Ten women from two sub-counties in Buikwe received training in the implementation of the PLA cycle within their communities. These facilitators then led women’s groups in utilising the PLA cycle to identify and address maternal and newborn health challenges in their communities Results A total of 15 women groups were formed which utilised the four phase PLA cycle in identifying and addressing maternal and newborn health challenges in Buikwe district. They generated several local health solutions and brought about an increased demand for maternal and newborn health services. Conclusion The PLA guide is an empowerment and advocacy tool for improved maternal and newborn Health. However, the integrated nature of this approach necessitates an understanding of priorities set in mobilizing communities, the role played by local leadership and the resources needed for improved maternal and newborn health