Yesterday I visited the local government primary teacher’s college to do some ad-hoc lecturing on p
honics. During discussions around the staffroom table I learnt that the pass mark for mathematics and science was recently dropped considerably across primary teaching colleges nation-wide. The pass mark is normally 40 per cent (that is still very generous). However I was told that because the science and mathematics results were so low, tutors feared that too many students would fail and not enough teachers would graduate and fill the demand of teaching positions. So, in great wisdom the science pass mark was dropped to 30 per cent and the mathematics pass mark fell to 25 per cent. These are the future teachers of Uganda! The primary education system is already in a dire state with poor academic results, however I fear that the future looks bleak with results like this.
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Photo gallery
Dan, Myron and Jody
Earlier days and happier times with these pigs… before swine fever.
Our brave Myron!
A demonstration lesson with P1.
Jody with P1 class teachers and the lovely P1 class (not all 142 present, but many of them!)
Our first set of published phonics readers!
Look who found a big rat!
School classroom built from church ruins.
Always a teacher… helping out children with some extra homework during a teaching visit to South Sudan.
A P1 pupils’ written work on a slate during a phonics lesson.
Dan and Myron on the road…
Teacher training…
Dan, JB and Bear.
Children putting into practise what their teachers have learnt – practical activities!
Jody teaching student teachers at the local Primary Teacher’s College about how to read aloud
On a refreshing weekend away to Sipi Falls.
Jody sharing at the local primary teacher’s college on reading fluency.
Sharing some laughs over reading games.
Dan and Myron after a bike ride.
Joanne and Dan
Hippo’ing around at mini golf.
Using local materials for teacher training…
Anyone for a game of football? There’s no electricity in this village in South Sudan but there is a generator and football hall – what more do you need?
Dan and Myron at Fort Porta.The Recreation Project
Dan and Jodes... in Gulu, Uganda 
Seems to me that the teachers of the teachers need to improve