In 2028, UHST will be 20-years old as a charity. We intend to mark the anniversary with a celebratory International Friendship event bringing together in Uganda teachers and children from the Humanist schools with UHST supporters. We will to use the intervening period to help the schools to become more self-reliant and sustainable.
As a first step, we are starting to devolve our scholarship programme to schools. Improvements in international money transfer have made this much easier, and we are working to find the best ways to transfer support funds to the schools. It will enable donors to have a closer personal relationship with the schools and children they support. We will circulate details as soon as we have received them from all the schools.
Paying for new buildings is one of the biggest challenges for the schools. In order to operate as registered schools and to meet the expectations of school inspectors they must have adequate facilities for teaching and to ensure the health of children. All schools still lack something and we have drawn up with the schools a priority list of essential infrastructure improvements. The work will cost about £130,000 over the next 4 years.
We intend to work systematically down the list as donations are received. However, if a supporter wishes their donation to be used for a particular priority further down the list then we will ensure that the funds are directed as requested.
Uganda has introduced an impressive new Secondary Curriculum. Memorisation and regurgitation of dictated notes have gone. Researching and evaluating information and other life skills are at the fore. Schools have been sent free sample copies of attractive new course books and teacher guidance. Each topic begins with a group activity, such as reading text extracts or conducting a task or experiment. Students learn relevant subject knowledge from the teacher, from books and on-line resources. Topics end with plenary tasks, questions and discussion which help students and teachers to assess what has been learnt. Observing lessons we have been impressed by the high level of children’s engagement and by how much more they seem to be learning in each lesson.
If it is to succeed, competency-based learning requires access to plentiful supplies of books, computers and a full-range of other learning resources, not least for science and other practical subjects such as agriculture, art and design and performing arts.
New curriculum History class of 100 at Mustard Seed Humanist Secondary School discussing strategies employed by British colonialists to take over Uganda
UHST is doing its best to help the Humanist High Schools to gear up for the new curriculum. We have doubled what we spend each year on books and science materials. We are trying to improve library and computer facilities and create spaces outside normal classrooms where students can read, research and perform group tasks. We found additional resources to upgrade the science and computer labs at Mustard Seed School, which no longer met requirements. Facilities of the Library and Information Centre at Isaac Newton, opened 2 years ago, are already proving to be inadequate. We have helped Kasese Humanist Municipal High School to enlarge and refurbish its science lab. Much more needs to be done across all the schools if they are to cope well with the new curriculum.
Posted: November 13, 2024 by Steve Hurd
2028 Sustainability Appeal
In 2028, UHST will be 20-years old as a charity. We intend to mark the anniversary with a celebratory International Friendship event bringing together in Uganda teachers and children from the Humanist schools with UHST supporters. We will to use the intervening period to help the schools to become more self-reliant and sustainable.
As a first step, we are starting to devolve our scholarship programme to schools. Improvements in international money transfer have made this much easier, and we are working to find the best ways to transfer support funds to the schools. It will enable donors to have a closer personal relationship with the schools and children they support. We will circulate details as soon as we have received them from all the schools.
Paying for new buildings is one of the biggest challenges for the schools. In order to operate as registered schools and to meet the expectations of school inspectors they must have adequate facilities for teaching and to ensure the health of children. All schools still lack something and we have drawn up with the schools a priority list of essential infrastructure improvements. The work will cost about £130,000 over the next 4 years.
Full details of the appeal can be read here:
Uganda Humanist Schools 2028 Sustainability Appeal
Contributions to the Appeal may be made through the weblink:
Donate to the Uganda Schools 2028 Sustainability Appeal
or by using our Supporter Form.
We intend to work systematically down the list as donations are received. However, if a supporter wishes their donation to be used for a particular priority further down the list then we will ensure that the funds are directed as requested.
Posted: July 29, 2024 by Steve Hurd
Uganda Humanist Schools 2024
You can read about the progress of individual Humanist Schools in Uganda in the following reports:
Isaac Newton Humanist Schools
Mustard Seed Humanist Schools
Kasese Humanist Schools
Katumba Parents Humanist Primary School
Kanungu Humanist Primary School
Eagle’s View Humanist Primary School
Posted: May 22, 2024 by Steve Hurd
Learning in the new Uganda National Curriculum
Uganda has introduced an impressive new Secondary Curriculum. Memorisation and regurgitation of dictated notes have gone. Researching and evaluating information and other life skills are at the fore. Schools have been sent free sample copies of attractive new course books and teacher guidance. Each topic begins with a group activity, such as reading text extracts or conducting a task or experiment. Students learn relevant subject knowledge from the teacher, from books and on-line resources. Topics end with plenary tasks, questions and discussion which help students and teachers to assess what has been learnt. Observing lessons we have been impressed by the high level of children’s engagement and by how much more they seem to be learning in each lesson.
If it is to succeed, competency-based learning requires access to plentiful supplies of books, computers and a full-range of other learning resources, not least for science and other practical subjects such as agriculture, art and design and performing arts.
UHST is doing its best to help the Humanist High Schools to gear up for the new curriculum. We have doubled what we spend each year on books and science materials. We are trying to improve library and computer facilities and create spaces outside normal classrooms where students can read, research and perform group tasks. We found additional resources to upgrade the science and computer labs at Mustard Seed School, which no longer met requirements. Facilities of the Library and Information Centre at Isaac Newton, opened 2 years ago, are already proving to be inadequate. We have helped Kasese Humanist Municipal High School to enlarge and refurbish its science lab. Much more needs to be done across all the schools if they are to cope well with the new curriculum.