User:Harriet KAGEZI/sandbox

BACKGROUND As the Government expands provision of primary and secondary education, it looks for ways through which to introduce innovation in teaching and learning. One of such means is ICT integration in teaching and learning. A contextualised ICT Competency Framework was adapted for Uganda under the assistance of UNESCO regional office Nairobi. Its aim was to provide guidelines for planning teacher education programmes and training offerings that will prepare pre- service teachers or facilitate in-service teachers’ professional development on effective ICT- pedagogy integration There is still a significant demand for ICTs integration in teacher education and training not only to prepare aspiring and future teachers in teacher education and training but also to enable them to use it as a pedagogical tool. In addition, ICT has been progressively introduced as a subject in secondary education and primary teacher training. However, the reality is that availability of ICT application, such as hardware, software, digital resources, and connectivity in pre-service training is limited to donor-supported initiative and sustainability is a major issue. As for in-service training, various programmes exist but digital content and ICT curriculums are not harmonized, standardized nor needs-based, thus how useful and applicable training is, as a pedagogical tool cannot be ascertained. The consequences of limited availability of ICT infrastructure and thus absence of integration into teacher education curriculum are that the capacity of teacher instructors, educators and trainers is rather weak. On the basis of the needs assessment specifically conducted for CFIT in Phase I, the following overall conclusions were drawn: ▪	High demand for qualified and competent teachers and teacher educators ▪	Limited opportunities for, and fragmented approach to, development and management of in-service training and its linkage with teacher development and professionalization ▪	Limited ICT infrastructure ▪	Limited use of ICT in teacher education ▪	Low competency of teacher educators and instructors in pedagogical use and integration of ICT in blended teaching and learning in pre- and in-service training ▪	Lack of documentation and sharing of teacher resources and innovative teaching practices ▪	Others include: o	There is no established guidelines on Public Private Partnership in-line with education in Uganda o	The National Policy for ICTs in Education is still in its draft form and is not in use. o	Expensive internet connectivity Uganda is also undertaking curriculum review in basic education aimed at making them relevant, innovative and competence based; and it requires teachers with ICT skills for their implementation. The majority of teacher educators lack ICT in education skills to implement the above teaching approaches such as blended teaching and learning. Globally, teaching is shifting from teacher centred to active teaching and learning where ICT can play a key role, hence the need for teacher trainers to have the skills to integrate ICT in teaching and learning. In addition, developing ICT skills for teacher educators will enable them to use modern education technology practices that will make teaching and learning easy, interesting and relevant to the students. Also by acquiring ICT skills, the teacher educators will be able to organise e-learning courses and therefore increasing opportunities of training for the teachers. Therefore, strengthening both infrastructure (by Government and or PPP) and human capacity at the key TTIs to become ‘hubs of excellence’ in their respective sub-sectors and having them networked and partnered amongst themselves as well as with other TTIs, would go a long way in enhancing teacher education.

OBJECTIVES 1.	To review the curricula of three teacher training institutions (Kyambogo University, Nakawa VTI, and Shimoni CPTC) as hub to the other teacher training institutions (TTIs) in the Country. 2.	To facilitate/encourage usage of the ICT infrastructure in the key TTIs to support blended teacher training for both pre-service and in-service training. 3.	To improve teacher educators’ competency in use of ICT as a pedagogical tool for quality teaching and learning of literacy, numeracy and science. 4.	To strengthen networking and partnerships among selected TTIs to support school-based continuous professional development.

RESULTS Expected Result 1: Teacher Education Curricula is reviewed to include ICTs as a means of Teaching/Learning and Assessment in the National Teachers’ Curriculums of the key TTIs Expected Result 2: Competency of teacher educators improved in the use of ICT as a pedagogical tool for quality teaching and learning in the key TTIs Expected Result 3: Effective use of ICT in improved collaborative networking and partnership among the TIET TTIs for enhanced school-based teachers’ continuous professional development. Expected Result 4: Effective M&E Operationalized Expected Result 5: Guidelines on PPP with Teacher Educators is established and implementation instituted.