Ugandan Education Delegation to receive 'professional training' at Limerick's Mary Immaculate College

A UGANDAN Education Delegation arrived at Mary Immaculate College in Limerick this Monday.

The high-level launch event saw 12 teachers from Uganda being recognised for their innovative work with the ‘Teachers Making a Difference Award.’

The awards aim to celebrate the teachers whose hard work and performance have hugely impacted the quality of education in their schools in Uganda.

A partnership between The Irish Embassy, Vision Group, and Simba Travelcare, the awards honour the teachers’ who have gone the extra mile to impact their students, particularly seeing as Uganda registered the longest school closure in the world due to Covid-19.

Speaking at the launch, Director of Africa Unit at the Department of Foreign Affairs, Alan Gibbons, said: “This delegation supported by our embassy in Uganda is about fostering and nurturing, exchange and benefit at many levels, from teacher to teacher, institution to institution, ministry to ministry, and indeed government to government. I have absolutely no doubt it'll be benefit both Ireland and Uganda.”

Launch of the Ugandan Education Delegation @Limerick_Leader @MICLimerick pic.twitter.com/mQDJXJYUsS

— Manon Gilbart (@ManonGilbart) October 3, 2022

Mr. Gibbons said Ireland’s engagement in education in Uganda goes back over a century, and began with the country’s missionaries who set up schools across Africa.

“Since then, so much has changed, but the solidarity that inspired our forbearers to travel is echoed in many respects. However, Ireland's partnership with Uganda has evolved and our approach to developing cooperation has also shifted,” added Alan Gibbons.

Speaking of Ireland’s support to the Karamoja region, Jane Egau Okou, Director at the Ministry of Education and Sports in Uganda, said: “We've been really excited about the kind of support to that particular region. It’s a very disadvantaged area, but Ireland has invested heavily in infrastructure.”

She continued: “I have been involved in this program and since I started, I have been watching from a distance but this time I'm here myself. In Uganda, we admire MCI because we read that this college is one of the outstanding colleges, but also that the teachers in Ireland are generally excellent teachers.”

“On behalf of the people of Uganda and the government of Uganda, I can assure you we are extremely grateful,” concluded Ms. Egau Okou.