Transforming Classrooms Through ACT Now

For Marrion Atuhurra, a Biology and Chemistry teacher at Destiny High School Kaato in Manafwa District, teaching was once a matter of following a script from teacher’s guides and relying on learner’s books. Both boys and girls attended her classes, yet she didn’t consciously create a balanced environment to uplift all students equally.

This changed when the Luigi Giussani Foundation (LGF) began implementing its Activate Critical Thinking (ACT Now) project at Destiny High School and other schools in the district. ACT Now emphasises Enhancing Gender Equity through Critical Thinking. Supported by Echidna Giving, this initiative is dedicated to improving learning outcomes by equipping secondary school teachers with tools to foster critical thinking and gender sensitivity in their classrooms. Through training sessions focused on critical thinking, gender inclusivity, lesson planning, and continuous classroom monitoring, Atuhurra and many of her colleagues learned to approach teaching with a renewed purpose.

“Before LGF’s intervention, I wasn’t as intentional in lesson planning or in encouraging participation across both boys and girls. LGF’s training was key in helping me change”, Atuhurra reflects. Inspired by this new approach, she has since transformed her teaching to create a more inclusive and stimulating environment for all students.

This project’s impact goes beyond individual teachers like Atuhurra. LGF conducted a rigorous Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT) to assess the project’s effectiveness, gathering data and feedback directly from those involved. Findings were shared at a public event and many who attended the
event including headteachers, teachers, Chief Administrative Officers, and District Education Officers from Manafwa and Namisindwa districts, highlighted the transformative impact of LGF’s intervention on attitudes and practices within schools.

One participant from the RCT, a female teacher in Namisindwa, noted, “The negativity towards the new curriculum is gone because LGF has completely changed teachers’ mindset, and they have now embraced it.”
From the RCT, it was discovered that teachers who participated in the project not only gained confidence but also developed a keen awareness of the impact of their language in fostering a respectful and inclusive classroom environment. A headteacher from Manafwa observed significant improvements in how teachers now communicate with students, especially female students who previously faced verbal abuse. 

“We used to be prone to inappropriate language, particularly toward female students, undermining their value and respect. Now, thanks to LGF’s sensitization activities, we’re intentional in our language and encourage students to respect one another,” the headteacher said.

Through its vision of nurturing dynamic, self-aware, and resilient learners and educators, LGF has successfully created a ripple effect in Manafwa and Namisindwa districts. The project is transforming mindsets, uplifting the role of teachers, and ultimately improving educational outcomes for all
students