CLUSTER LEARNING APPROACH:
For Refugee Children in Uganda
Breaking down barriers to education has
always been at the forefront of our work.
Our Cluster Learning Approach is a sustainable, cost effective early education model that creates access to quality learning for thousands of refugee children, who are otherwise cut off from support at the most vital stage of their development.
HOW IT BEGAN: When lockdown was announced in Uganda, and our Early Childhood Development Centres were closed, we pivoted our approach using Cluster Learning to ensure the thousands of children we support in Kyaka II refugee camp could continue their education.
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Instead of being limited to buildings, lessons were arranged in small groups, wherever the children were, in people's homes and compounds, shaded areas around local churches, and under trees.
When lockdown lifted, we realised this approach could be used to meet the needs of thousands of young children who cannot access early years learning due to the lack of provision. We took buildings out of the equation, and began to replicate and scale the programme.
Scroll down to see how it works... |
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1. COMMUNITY OWNERSHIP
and management
Children’s education is seen as a
top priority for the whole community.
Communities become invested in children’s education.
They come together to solve problems, they form a network to support teachers, parents and children, they watch out for the safety of the youngest children.
The community provides physical contributions such as their houses, yards or churches to use as classrooms, as well as shelter, mats, latrines and hand washing facilities.
To ensure wider community ownership, each study area has a
Cluster Management Committee (CLMC) made up of parents, who manage the finances and ensure the smooth running of the cluster groups.
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“IT’S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR CHILDREN TO GAIN ACCESS TO EDUCATION, AS OUR COMMUNITY WAS COMPLETELY ISOLATED. MY CHILD HAS NOW LEARNED SOME ENGLISH WHICH I DO NOT KNOW. HE COMES HOME AND RECITES THE NUMBERS 1-5 AND SINGS SONGS WHICH BRING ME JOY.” |
2. ACCESS FOR ALL:
Opening up Early Childhood Development
The Cluster Learning Approach makes early years education directly and permanently accessible for all children, removing barriers of finance, language, culture, ethnicity, disability and location. |
- Cluster groups are located near children’s homes
- There is no cost: children don't need uniforms and don't take lunch
- Lessons are bite-sized
- Children are taught in their own language
- Parents are involved, they know the teachers and community and feel safe sending their children - which results in more regular attendance.
3. PARENT ENGAGEMENT
and involvement
Parents are a key part of the Cluster Learning Approach.
They are pivotal to their children's progress.
Parents attend the cluster groups on Wednesdays with their children.
They are given simple, easy activities to practice with their children at home. This
involvement ensures parents (who are often illiterate) can understand the task,
engage with their children’s learning and grow in confidence.
They are given simple, easy activities to practice with their children at home. This
involvement ensures parents (who are often illiterate) can understand the task,
engage with their children’s learning and grow in confidence.
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Parents are encouraged to be more invested
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4. UNIQUE EARLY YEARS TEACHER TRAINING
Offering both accreditation and in-service mentoring and support
We train refugees from the local community to teach, so that children can learn in their own language, in a familiar culture, with trusted adults.
- Teachers learn on the job by assisting more experienced teachers, they work together with a teacher trainer to plan and evaluate their lessons ensuring they remain motivated with a strong support network.
- Teachers receive nationally recognised community childcare certification.
- Trained local teachers are able to relate naturally with the children, their families and the local community which helps improve enrolment and attendance rates and the children's overall learning outcomes.
5. SUSTAINABILITY
of the programme
The Cluster Group model is |
- Community ownership allows the programme, in time, to run independently from external support
- It uses a Train the Trainers (ToTs) system, where the best teachers are trained as teacher trainers (ToTs) so knowledge is cascaded quickly and cost effectively.
- The teacher trainers (ToTs) will go on to train hundreds more teachers in the future.
- ToTs develop ongoing training, mentor and support existing teachers as well as training any new teachers for the programme.
- Teachers are given stipends and small business loans, rather than salaries. This investment in their businesses encourages them to stay, and invests in the local economy.
- There are little to no construction, rent or building maintenance costs.
- Learning aids are made by teachers from local materials.
These elements reduce reliance on short term international aid and ensures that refugee communities provide early childhood education for their children, long into the future.
6. INCLUSIVE, PLAYFUL, ENGAGED
Teaching and Learning
Cluster lessons are vibrant and fun |
“I ENJOY COMING TO LEARN, COUNT AND PLAY. I HAVE LEARNED NUMBERS 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10,11,13,14 & 15. I LEARNED SHAPES LIKE CIRCLES, RECTANGLES, SQUARES AND TRIANGLES. I ALSO SING SONGS LIKE ‘EKIBABA’ AND ‘TEACHER TEACHER’ |
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The small group setting, unique teacher training and strong teacher-child relationships, ensures that all children develop a deep love of learning, confidence in their abilities, perseverance, problem solving skills, social skills, improved self-esteem and practical life skills (such as using the latrine and getting dressed).
Lessons are play-based, fun and engaging, based on the Ugandan curriculum.
We focus on children's social, emotional and physical development to
prepare them for primary school.
Colourful learning materials provide visual and tactile stimuli for children’s learning and teachers are trained to create a safe and welcoming environment. |
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Trauma, health, developmental concerns and disabilities can be
identified quickly and children can be supported.
“ALREADY THEY CAN COUNT, DISTINGUISH SHAPES, THEY HAVE IMPROVED TOILET MANNERS AND THEY SOCIALISE BETTER WITH PEERS. THERE IS NO OTHER AVENUE OF ECD IN OUR AREA. MY HOPE IS THAT THEY WILL BE ABLE TO TRANSITION TO PRIMARY SCHOOL AND EXCEL THERE. I ALSO HOPE THIS PROGRAMME WILL EXPAND AND REACH THE DIFFERENT CORNERS IN OUR COMMUNITY”. |
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Young children will be more able to thrive and be more likely to attend and excel in primary school and beyond.
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NEXT STEPS
The Cluster Learning Approach is an innovative, simple and cost effective model, which is breaking down barriers to vital early years learning, ensuring education is accessible for all children.
The model is scalable and replicable. Our target is to develop the approach into all 10 zones of the Kyaka settlements by the end of 2024, creating a flagship design that others can learn from, to implement in other refugee settlements both within and beyond the borders of Uganda.
With special thanks to the communities of Kyaka II Refugee Settlement, and to Theirworld and Mara Mambo Media for the photo collection.
AWARDS AND ACCOLADES
Our early years education programme for Congolese refugee children in Uganda was one of five winners at the 2021 Theirworld Education Innovation Awards!
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The programme was also one of 12 winners in the 2022 iF Design Social Impact Prize out of a field of over 480 applications from 75 countries |
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Get in touch
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Find out more about our work with Congolese refugee children in Kyaka II |
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