Training Educators to Prioritise Child Safety in Isingiro

Educators and key community stakeholders in Isingiro District have completed a transformative three-day training aimed at making schools and communities safer spaces for children. The training focused on the prevention of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and Violence Against Children (VAC) and is part of the Safety and Protection component under the Uganda Secondary Education Expansion Project (USEEP).

The workshop was facilitated by the Luigi Giussani Foundation (LGF) in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Sports and Science Teaching and Innovations Africa (STIA). LGF is implementing USEEP in 22 schools in Isingiro District, including three located within refugee settlements.

In 2024, LGF, was selected by the Ministry of Education and Sports to implement the USEEP project under two Lots; Lot 1 which covers 39 districts and 68 schools, and Lot 2, which covers 26 districts and 64 schools. Funded by the World Bank, USEEP’s goal is to increase access to quality lower secondary education by expanding infrastructure and enhancing the safety, inclusiveness, and quality of the learning environment. LGF works extensively in education, especially with vulnerable populations like girls, children in refugee contexts, and learners in underserved regions, therefore, promoting safe learning environments is a core concern for LGF because it directly supports their commitment to child protection, psychosocial well-being, and holistic development.

Participants in the Isingiro training included stakeholders from the education and child protection sectors: district education officers, headteachers, senior men and women teachers, school board members, community development officers, probation officers, and representatives from the Uganda Police’s Child and Family Protection Unit. Officials from the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) overseeing Nakivale and Oruchinga refugee settlements also participated.

“In the USEEP, we want to ensure safety of learners. So, in Isingiro, we are training teachers and community leaders on how to combat VAC and GBV. how to We want to sensitise our educators about our good laws on child protection to ensure the teachers create a safe environment for learners,” Christine Bwailisa said, the LGF project coordinator.

Speaking at the opening, Agatha Natukunda, the Senior District Education Officer, welcomed the training as a timely and vital initiative. She urged participants to fully embrace the knowledge shared and become champions of safety in their schools.

“Our schools must become safe havens for every learner. This training is a call to action for all of us,” she said.

The sessions covered a wide range of critical topics including child safeguarding laws, positive discipline, reporting and referral mechanisms, stakeholder engagement, and sexuality education. Teachers were equipped with practical tools to establish school clubs that support leadership, emotional well-being, and awareness on VAC and GBV.

Participants were reminded of the Children Act, 2016, particularly Section 25, which strictly prohibits corporal punishment in schools. Violators face up to three years in prison or a fine of UGX 2 million, or both. Facilitators emphasized the importance of non-violent forms of discipline, such as counselling and mentorship.

“I have learned how to guide stubborn adolescents through positive discipline,” shared Herbert Tuhirirwe, Senior Man Teacher at Kikagate Seed Secondary School.
“We can no longer justify physical punishment. It causes pain and long-term harm.”

Senior men and women teachers were specifically encouraged to be approachable and trusted figures for students.

“It is our role to listen and help find solutions to the challenges learners face,” said Sophie Napito, a Police Constable with the Child and Family Protection Unit in Isingiro.

By the end of the training, participants had not only gained deeper awareness of the legal frameworks and psychosocial dynamics of child protection but had also drawn up action plans for their respective schools to immediately address VAC and GBV.