Engaging with Ugandan education: British officials visit school
UK Diplomats from London and Kampala learn about British Council programmes
Marc Thayre, Desk Officer for Uganda at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) in London (left), and Joe Bolton, Head of Internal Political Section at the British High Commission (right) touring Kitante Hill School.
On 9 February, Marc Thayre, Desk Officer for Uganda at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) in London, and Joe Bolton, Head of Internal Political Section at the British High Commission in Kampala, visited Kitante Hill Secondary School in Kampala. Their host for the visit, which was organised by the British Council in Uganda, was Mrs Rose Izizinga, headteacher of the school.
The British officials spent the afternoon meeting students and teachers and discussing the positive impact of British Council programmes, including Premier Skills and International Inspiration.
The team from the UK mission are received by students of Kitante Hill School.
Premier Skills is the British Council’s international partnership with the Premier League, operating in 25 countries across Asia, Africa and the Americas, including Uganda. It draws upon the Premier League’s global appeal and expertise in delivering community programmes in the UK, alongside the British Council’s global network, track record of delivery and world class expertise in English.
Marc Thayre and Joe Bolton discussed the Premier Skills Enterprise Academy with students and teachers at Kitante Hill School, where this element of the Premier Skills programme has already made a positive impact. Students spoke about the benefits they had already gained from the training received, how it had changed their perception of business, and how they felt better equipped for working in business as a result of attending the training.
Marc Thayre and Carol Nyaika, British Council Head of Partnerships and projects look at students' artwork.
International Inspiration has been the sports legacy programme of the London 2012 Olympics, delivered by the British Council and partner organisations. It was the first programme of its kind conceived and implemented by an Olympic host city. The success of the programme and the continuing work of the UK partners involved in sport for development has meant that it will continue to have an impact for years to come.
International Inspiration linked 590 schools in the UK and around the world, creating school partnerships that focused on the use of sport in schools to achieve positive outcomes for pupils and young people in the wider community. Uganda was one of the 21 countries worldwide where International Inspiration school partnerships challenged children, their parents and teachers, to look beyond their own borders, share their knowledge and experience, and learn from different cultures.
Marc Thayre interacts with students during the visit.
Students at Kitante Hill School discussed with the visiting British officials the skills they had acquired from the International Inspiration programme, and how they had shared these skills with others in their school and wider community. Students and teachers explained how the community and other schools in Uganda had benefited from these skills and International Inspiration more widely.
Mrs Rose izizinga, headteacher of Kitante Hill School described to the visitors the benefits her school had received from participating in Premier Skills and Interational Inspiration. She said that she, her staff and students had learnt new skills which were already benefitting their community.