STiR Education, in partnership with the Ministry of Education and Sports and with support from Social Initiative, launched its Term I 2026 Regional Bootcamp at Gulu Core Teacher Training Institute.
Education leaders from across Acholi, Lango, and Teso gathered for the event, including representatives from the Ministry, District and Municipal Education Offices, Inspectors of Schools, Coordinating Centre Tutors, and leadership teams from three Teacher Training Institutions and 15 local governments. Attendance reached an impressive 98.8%.
The focus of the two-day bootcamp was collaborative learning, an approach grounded in social constructivism (Lew, 2020) that shifts classrooms from passive instruction to active learning. Instead of simply receiving information, learners work in small groups to question, explain, and build understanding together.
As Ms. Okuonziru Hellen, District Inspector of Schools in Kitgum, reflected:
“When learners are put in smaller groups, this triggers their engagement.”
Participants explored practical strategies they could immediately apply in classrooms, including Think–Pair–Share, Peer Teaching, Collaborative Group Projects, and Gallery Walks. These methods are designed not only to deepen learning but also to strengthen teamwork, communication, critical thinking, and learner confidence.
The bootcamp itself modelled collaborative learning. Stakeholders practised introducing the approach to School Education Leaders and reflected on the experience together. One participant, the DPO from Soroti, noted:
“During the interaction, I felt accepted, respected, and my opinion was part of the outcome.”
Others spoke about feeling energised and motivated, a powerful reminder that when leaders experience collaborative learning firsthand, they are better equipped to champion it in their schools.
Supervisors play a critical role in modelling the behaviours, values, and attitudes they want to see in teachers and learners. By experiencing these strategies themselves, education leaders can help embed collaboration into supervision, teacher support, and classroom culture.
As education systems look for ways to improve learning outcomes, the question is no longer whether collaboration works, but how we embed it consistently across schools and districts.
We’d love to hear how your district or organisation is promoting collaborative learning in schools. Share the strategies you’ve seen increase learner engagement in the comments.
