UHST and the Humanist Schools in Uganda have been awarded a grant of 6,500 Euro, which will provide matched funding from UHST towards a Humanist Ethos Project. Steve Hurd is the UK Project Director. The Project Manager in Uganda is Moses Kamya, Director of the Mustard Seed School and other members of the management team are Peter Kisirinya, Director of Isaac Newton High School, Kateera and Robert Bwambale, Director of Kasese Humanist Primary School. Moses is pictured right talking about Humanism at the 1st National Conference of Teachers in Humanist Schools in Uganda.
The aim is to develop a unique Humanist identity for the schools in Uganda. The project will begin with a series of meetings in each of the participating schools. The first task will be to agree on a core set of Humanist values. These will be used in promotional literature for the schools. They will also guide the induction of new staff and a code of conduct for teachers, which all teachers in the schools will be asked to sign. This will include, for example, a pledge to maintain high standards of pastoral care and to rely on guidance rather than violence when dealing with disciplinary issues. This will employ procedures which the schools have worked out with help from a team from VSO which included Chris Smith, a UHST trustee.
The project will also devise strategies for introducing students to Humanist thinking and to embed Humanist values into the governance and practices of the schools. In terms of teaching strategies this will include fostering independent learning using books and web resources, so that students are not solely reliant upon notes dictated by teachers and can learn to evaluate and synthesise arguments from different sources. The schools are also concerned to promote principles of empathy, social concern and active involvement in community issues at local, national and international level. The schools are keen to develop educational links with humanists in other countries.
The project will develop a new website for the Uganda Humanist Schools Association. Promotional materials and powerpoint presentations for use with staff, students and in parent/guardian meetings.
If you are a humanist involved in education and have ideas on how the Humanist Ethos might be fostered in the schools, or can point the Project team to useful resources they could use or adapt then do please email: stevehurd@uhst.org and/or mkmoseskamya@gmail.com. We welcome help from all sources.
Humanist Ethos Project
Posted: May 7, 2015 by Steve Hurd
The aim is to develop a unique Humanist identity for the schools in Uganda. The project will begin with a series of meetings in each of the participating schools. The first task will be to agree on a core set of Humanist values. These will be used in promotional literature for the schools. They will also guide the induction of new staff and a code of conduct for teachers, which all teachers in the schools will be asked to sign. This will include, for example, a pledge to maintain high standards of pastoral care and to rely on guidance rather than violence when dealing with disciplinary issues. This will employ procedures which the schools have worked out with help from a team from VSO which included Chris Smith, a UHST trustee.
The project will also devise strategies for introducing students to Humanist thinking and to embed Humanist values into the governance and practices of the schools. In terms of teaching strategies this will include fostering independent learning using books and web resources, so that students are not solely reliant upon notes dictated by teachers and can learn to evaluate and synthesise arguments from different sources. The schools are also concerned to promote principles of empathy, social concern and active involvement in community issues at local, national and international level. The schools are keen to develop educational links with humanists in other countries.
The project will develop a new website for the Uganda Humanist Schools Association. Promotional materials and powerpoint presentations for use with staff, students and in parent/guardian meetings.
If you are a humanist involved in education and have ideas on how the Humanist Ethos might be fostered in the schools, or can point the Project team to useful resources they could use or adapt then do please email: stevehurd@uhst.org and/or mkmoseskamya@gmail.com. We welcome help from all sources.
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