Mentoring teacher trainees in universities in Uganda: a dimension of continuous supervision of school practice

Abstract

While the globe is faced with COVID-19 pandemic, there are reforms that need to be advanced to ensure continuity in education while maintaining the standards of quality. Uganda’s university curriculum for teacher training provides for two school practice placements for student teachers before they can qualify to register as professional teachers by the ministry of education and sports. The fact that schools are being opened in a staggered way with increased online teaching and learning this has limited the exercise of student teachers moving into schools to carry out school practice. There is need for Teacher educators to devise new ways of helping the students to attain the objectives of the curriculum to which they were admitted and fulfill the requirements of professional training. This paper draws stakeholders’ attention to such important matter of mentorship for teacher trainees in Ugandan universities and a model is hereby provided as a way forward. A framework of assessment is suggested to enable adaptability of the contents of this model. This paper has adopted a documentary review methodology and has been guided by the following objectives. To describe the mentorship role of a Lecturer at the University; To analyze mentorship in schools; To examine the process of mentoring student teachers at the universities; To develop a mentorship model for teacher training at University and Assessment of School Practice under mentorship.