Unyama at the Forefront: Teachers Join 3rd Cohort Pilot to Transform Career Guidance in Secondary Schools

Saturday 13th/09/2025, the atmosphere at UNITE Unyama Campus was filled with optimism as the institution officially Piloted its Continuous Professional Development (CPD) programme on Study and Career Guidance (SCG) for lower secondary school teachers, in partnership with VVOB. The programme has been steadily refined through continuous iterations, with feedback and insights from previous participants helping to improve its delivery and impact. The initiative marks a significant step towards strengthening the integration of career guidance into Uganda’s Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC).

The course targets 104 Ordinary -Level teachers from the Acholi Sub-region, equipping them with skills to inspire learners to link classroom knowledge to real-world opportunities, especially in agriculture and entrepreneurship.

Over the next five weeks, participants will explore three key units: Foundations of Career Talks, Planning and Preparing Career Talks, and Facilitating and Reflecting on Career Talks. By the end of the programme, teachers will be able to integrate career talks into their subjects, promote gender-responsive study and career guidance, and work with role models from the world of work to inspire learners to pursue careers in Agriculture and Entrepreneurship

The programme is being rolled out across Uganda National Institute for Teacher Education (UNITE) Campuses Unyama (Gulu), Mubende, and Muni (Arua).

VVOB Education Advisor, Francis Wangi Speaking to participants.

Speaking at the launch, Francis Wangi, VVOB Education Advisor, representing VVOB, underscored the organisation’s 40 years of experience in advancing education quality worldwide.

“When you improve the quality of teachers, you improve the quality and effectiveness of education itself,” Wangi said. He challenged teachers to reflect on their own journeys and the exposure they got as they chose their career fields: He implored them to reflect on the questions;“What do you know? What do you do? How did you start to do what you do? How do you improve on what you do?”

He emphasized that SCG should expose learners to real-world of work role models who bring authority and inspiration to classrooms, enabling students to see clear pathways to careers. He also called on teachers to strengthen their digital literacy, noting that many still need to build confidence in using digital tools effectively.

Dean of UNITE Unyama Campus 

In his opening remarks, the Dean of UNITE Unyama Campus, Mr. Lot Pario, congratulated participants on being selected and thanked VVOB for funding the programme. He reminded teachers that CPD is central to the 2019 National Teacher Policy, which requires teachers to continuously upgrade their skills for license renewal.

“One of UNITE’s core objectives is to improve the quality of teachers in this country,” the Dean emphasized. “This CPD is not just about compliance but about professionalizing education and ensuring teachers guide learners effectively into the future.”

He urged teachers not to assume authority in all aspects of career guidance but instead to invite world-of-work actors to inspire learners with authentic experiences. He further encouraged participants to embrace digital skills, noting that Uganda is part of the global consortium on Greening Education Partnership (GEP), which promotes digital adoption to reduce paper use and combat climate change.

The SCG CPD programme places teachers at the heart of career readiness and employability. By integrating career talks into their teaching, participants will become agents of change, helping learners transition from education to meaningful work with confidence.

As one participant reflected during the session: “This course is not just about guiding students; it is about guiding a generation into their future.”