REPORT ON TRAINING ON MENTORING AND GENDER RESPONSIVENESS
TO EDUCATION
1.0
Introduction
This report details the mentorship and gender responsive training of teachers that was carried out by six
Trainers who are members of the Association of Women Engineers, Technicians and Scientists (WETSU)
trainers. The training took place in four secondary schools (Kamonkoli Mixed College and Budadiri Girls’
Secondary School from Pallisa and Sironko districts) respectively in the Eastern and Gombe Muslin
Secondary School and Nabbingo Trinity College from Wakiso district in the Central regions of Uganda..
The report is divided into three sections namely:
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The background of WETSU.
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The training objectives and context.
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The feedback received from the training and recommendations.
2.0
Background of WETSU
The Association of Women Engineers, Technicians and Scientists in Uganda (WETSU) is a nongovernment, non-profit making organisation that was formed by a group of women in 1989 to
increase the number of women in Engineering, Science and Technology for sustainable development
after realising the very low numbers in these fields.
The Mission of WETSU is to achieve equal representation of girls and boys taking science and
technology studies and, increasing the number of well qualified, competent, and competitive women,
employed in science and technology fields, and an increase in the number of women appreciating,
accessing and utilising appropriate technology at the community and household levels.
The Goal of WETSU is to close the gender gap in science and technology.
Objectives of the Association are:
1. To increase the participation of women and girls in science, technical education and work to
enhance development in Uganda.
2. To provide a forum for demonstration of the achievements sharing, of experiences and ideas
from various fields of specialisation.
3. To consider and promote technical and social issues relevant to women, in particular engineers,
technicians and scientists.
4. To provide avenues to bring together, encourage friendship and cooperation among all women
5. To promote the status of women in Uganda.
3.0
The Training
The training was of two folds that involved the selection, orientation and training of trainers and
orienting head teachers and teachers on the importance of and tips on mentoring and gender
responsiveness in education.
Training of Trainers
The selection criterion of six WETSU members with experience in training and counselling related
activities were selected for the training. There were six female trainees selected for the training.
FAWE – Uganda Chapter, a WETSU partners involved in similar activities trained the trainers using
FAWE Gender Responsive Pedagogy: The Teachers’ Handbook. The WETSU trainers trained at least 30
head teachers and teachers from each of the four secondary schools mentioned above.
The two days training equipped the trainers with knowledge and skills on mentorship, orientations to
gender responsiveness to education, common constraints and possible remedies to gender stereotypes
and other factors that affect girls enrolment and performance in schools especially science and technical
subjects. Below are modules that were covered during the training:
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Mentoring: definition, purpose, good qualities for a mentor, factors that affect mentoring and
ways of sustaining a mentor
Gender Responsive Pedagogy that included:
 Background to gender transformation in education and Understanding Gender
 Empowering the Teacher to support gender transformation in education
 The gender responsive pedagogy
 The ideal Teacher
 Gender responsive lesson plans
 Gender responsive teaching and learning materials
 Gender responsive management of sexual maturation and sexual harassment (Attached
Photocopy of FAWE Gender Responsive Pedagogy: The Teachers’ Handbook.)
Feedback and Lessons learnt by the trainers
Overall, the trainers reported to have gained more knowledge and skills to help reduce gender biasness in
education. The training was a revelation of different new aspects on gender responsiveness to education
and how to address the constraints especially in teaching and learning of science subjects.
4.0
Training of the Teachers as Mentors and Agents of Gender Transformation in Education
4.1
Selection of Schools
Selection of schools was based on a number of factors that included:
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Schools within WETSU operational areas in Eastern and Central Uganda.
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Districts and schools with overall poor performance compared to schools in the country.
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The choice of the schools was based on those with relatively poor performance; one single sex
(purely girls’) secondary school, two mixed secondary schools namely:
 Trinity College Nabbing from Wakiso district.
 Kamonkoli College (mixed) school from Pallisa
 Budadiri Girls’ School from Sironko district
 Gombe Muslim Secondary Schools
4.2
Methodology and Materials used
The methodology was highly participatory using illustrations, role-plays and simulations.
The FAWE Guidelines for Mentorship and Training of Teachers in the Transformation of Education in
Gender responsiveness was used.
The training was carried out as a highly participatory and interactive workshop, with maximum use of
illustrations, role-plays and group discussions.
The Trainers first held discussions with teachers to establish the level of awareness of the content. This
gave an indication of understanding of the content and was used to build on what they knew
During the introduction session, the participants discussed fears and expectations, which helped in the
mainstreaming the objectives of the training and helped neutralise negative attitudes of some participants.
Materials such as printout and handouts were shared.
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5.0
The Content
The following section briefly describes the content:
5.1
Mentoring, Career Guidance and Counseling Module
The levels of mentoring which involves one to one, peer mentoring and group mentoring.
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Forms of Mentoring
 Periodic meetings between mentor and selected girl; letter writing; discussions and
Lectures; workshops, electronic mentoring; use of documented materials and exposure
visits and exchanges
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Tips for effective mentoring
The role of the mentor is to be a friend who builds a mutually caring, loving and supportive relationship
with the person being mentored.
 The mentor therefore must be available, interested, a good listener, respectful, share
situations, focused on n the persons strengths- to build their confidence and self esteem;
confidential and empathetic with an evident self-drive.
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Challenges in a mentoring relationship
 The relationship can get strained, in terms of time available, or the characters involved.
 Loss of interest/boredom/lack of seriousness
 Possessiveness and jealousy – A mentor may be threatened by up-coming talent
 ‘Rescuing’ instead of ‘Empowering’ the mentee. A mentor should not assume
responsibility over the mentee take over his or her life. Allow mentee to take ‘necessary
risk’ for effective learning.
 The mentor should address the strain without affecting the mentoring outcome.
To illustrate some of the key points in this session, a story and simulation and role-play as well as and
question and answers techniques were used were used.
The Participants concluded that mentoring is a vital part in ensuring successful education for all students
and that due attention should be given to support such efforts.
5.2
Gender Responsiveness to Education
The session enabled the participants understand gender and its social construction, recognize the effect of
gender in education and to empower the teachers to support gender transformation in education.
Through discussions the participants defined gender and thereafter were led through commonly used
gender concepts such as gender discrimination, gender equality, gender awareness, gender responsiveness,
patriarchy and feminism. Other topics that were articulated the roles of various groups and individuals in
the society
Focus was put on gender responsive classroom environment that included:
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Gender Responsive Teaching And Learning Materials:
The Current Situation Analysis:
 Teaching and learning materials shape young minds
 Most textbooks implicitly communicate traditional and limited gender roles.
 Personality attributes portrayed in textbooks are consistent with traditional societal notions.
 The teaching and learning materials generally reinforce gender stereotypes.
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The Teacher’s role in changing the situation:
 Immediate and complete overhaul of the textbooks not possible at the school level.
 Existing text books to adapt at classroom level to make it gender responsive.
 Teachers’ development of their own gender responsive teaching and learning materials.
 Use of gender responsive illustrations, which should be displayed on classroom walls to
give a gender responsive classroom environment.
 Gender Responsive Language Use In Classrooms:
 Language is a tool of communication which reveals a lot about what a person thinks and
believes
 Inappropriate language use by the teacher can;
- Transmit gender biases, negative messages and may inhibit learning
- Instil fear in the students and hinder communication between them
- Reinforce gender differences and inequalities
 Much offensive communication is not verbal; although it may go unnoticed by the others, it
can be very damaging for the student at whom it is targeted. Most sexual harassment occurs
and escalates in this way.
 Encouraging, inclusive language use in the classroom can enhance students’ performance
 Gender responsive language use is that which treats boys and girls as equal partners and
provides a conducive learning environment for both.
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Gender Responsive Classroom Setups:
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Classroom arrangement can contribute positively or negatively to the teaching and learning
processes.
The teachers need to realise how the maintenance of learning spaces affects the quality and
gender responsiveness of the education provided therein.
A gender responsive classroom set up responds to the specific needs of both boys and girls
and could include;
- Seating arrangement that mixes both boys and girls, enhancing equal
participation
- Appropriate laboratory stools, desks, library shelves, etc for both boys and girls.
- Wall fixtures and visual aids that send gender responsive messages.
- Classrooms, which are not over crowded.
Gender Responsive Classroom Interaction:
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Boys and girls have gender specific needs.
As they mature, their gender roles and relations (often sex roles and relationships) have an
increasing impact on classroom interactions.
Teachers must watch out for issues such as sexual experimentation and harassment, male
domination and female passivity .
Dynamics in classroom interactions that have an impact on the teaching and learning
processes include;
- Content delivery by the teacher (competence, innovativeness);
- Participatory methodology in form of role-plays, demonstration, discussion,
experimentation or expository which are gender responsive.
- Teacher-student interaction; teachers to recognise and understand students’
individuality based on their personality traits, learning abilities, history, dreams/
aspirations.
- Student-student interaction
- Teacher presentation and behaviour; personal appearance and mannerisms
- Student presentation and behaviour (physical appearance, gestures, shyness/
arrogance, bullying, teasing)
- Teacher and student morale (commitment, motivation)
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Sexual maturity, Sexual harassment and menstruation management
Sexual maturity: the topic focused on the changes that occur in males and females at adolescence and
the role of teacher’s and students to get through this time successfully.
Sexual Harassment focused on various forms in which it can occur and remedies to avoid them and
handling of such cases both from students and teachers perspectives.
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Menstruation management
Menstruation singled out as among the body changes that occur with devastating effects on the
performance of students because many female students especially in rural areas do not continue with
studies due to issues related to this phenomenon.
It was pointed out that teachers, boys and girls need to be sensitized about menstruation as normal
phenomena, and girls counselled and supported helped by senior women to ensure that classes are not
missed due to menstrual periods.
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7.0
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Feedback based on the Evaluation Assessment
The majority of teachers’ appreciated the training because it exposed many issues that they had not
considered important as factors that influence the performance of their students.
The teachers’ recommended extension of the training to parents and the community since their
decisions and acts affect girls’ enrolment and performance.
They also recommended that such training should be more regular to allow thorough coverage of
the material and enable gradual adaptation by those parties involved with the help of the facilitators.
The training should focus equally on male and female issues. The tendency has been for such
programmes tend to highlight only issues pertaining to girls
The materials for reference to the schools were not enough to allow easy access for all the number
of teachers. There was thus a request to provide more materials on the training.
As an incentive, the teachers requested for award of certificates. This would draw more people to
attend the training.
Constraints and Limitations
Schools have a very hectic study schedule and therefore it was difficult to schedule appointments
and even when this was done, the time given was minimal such that the training had to be done in a
very hurried manner cover all the material.
Insufficient materials for all teachers who attended
In some cases, the remedies to the problems or issues covered were beyond the means of the
facilitators and teachers also. For example, implementing the policy to ensure that all girls in schools
are provided with sanitary towels
It was very difficult to get overall gender-disaggregated data on enrolment, retention and
performance especially in science and technology from almost all the districts. The District
Education Offices had only bulk results for some schools and referred the team to the head office
i.e. Ministry of Education and Sports in Kampala. Where such information was available, gender
disaggregated data on enrolment and performance did not specify the subjects studied
Despite prior arrangements and appointments, some of the officials were not available.
The numbers of days allocated for the exercise were very few to engage dialogue with different
categorized of people (district officials, community leaders, and groups) to exhaustively collect and
analyze the right data.
Some of the officials visited were reluctant to part with data.
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8.0
Recommendations
The recommendations below are from schools visited and interacted with:
 Regularise training and provide more material to teachers
 Establish rapport and dialogue and working relationships with the school authorities to allow assess
the effects and impact of the training Establish rapport and dialogue and working relationships with
the school authorities to allow assess the effects and impact of the training
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Include training for parents and community Consider award of certificates to those who
participated in the training on Gender Transformation of Education
Extend training to more schools
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