Uganda currently hosts more than 1.15 million refugees, over 60% of whom are children. Given the protracted nature of displacement in the region, many of these children attend school in Uganda for their entire educational careers, while the Ministry of Education and Sport struggles to supply and support the teachers needed for the influx of students. My research aims to examine the ways in which teachers are supported through professional development within this context. Through classroom observations and semi-structured interviews in Kampala and Imvepi, a refugee settlement in the West Nile region, I examined teacher professional development structures, the extent to which new knowledge and practices are transferred to the classroom, and teachers’ perceptions of effective professional development. The study aims to further analyze the ways in which these perceptions align or diverge from policy.
Conducting research in Uganda, and particularly in Imvepi, has been immensely rewarding. I was impressed by teachers’ dedication and ingenuity in creating informal processes to share knowledge and best practices. For those considering research in similar contexts, my advice is to ensure enough time in the field to navigate the inconsistent bureaucracies that may impede your study. The learning opportunities are worth the challenge.