A total of 5,138 students from Kyambogo University in Kampala City graduated on Wednesday and yesterday. They included 23 who graduated with PhDs in various academic disciplines. Daily Monitor’s Jane Nafula profiles the studies and findings of some of the PhD graduates.
Gilbert Olanya (Education)
He studied the influence of individual characteristics on work engagement of primary school teachers moderated by organisational factors in the Acholi sub-region, Uganda. The study examined the influence of individual characteristics on work engagement, assessed the influence of organisational factors, and tested the moderating role of organisational factors on the influence of individual characteristics on work engagement of primary school teachers.The study findings revealed that while teacher absorption was high as well as personal self-efficacy of teachers, dedication and teacher vigour were moderate.
Dr Monica Ahabwe (Education)
She explored teachers’ experiences in implementing the competence-based curriculum in Uganda using a case study of selected secondary schools in western Uganda. The study focused on the aspects of planning, teaching, and assessment. It found that planning involved occasional lesson plan development, internet use, scheme of work construction, but was constrained by inadequate resources and time. The study recommended increased funding, especially in low-resourced schools, to support teaching and assessment and intensive training to enhance teacher competencies in planning, teaching, and assessment.
Jackline Achan (Education)
Her study examined the relationship between children’s participation and protective factors against violence in selected government-aided primary schools in Bugiri District, eastern Uganda. The findings of the study indicated that when children actively participate in safety measures, their overall protection from violence improves.
Annet Nadunga (Religious Studies)
She examined the concept of the ideal wife of Proverbs 31:10-31 in relation to contemporary marriages in Uganda. She says the question of ‘who is a good wife?’ is historically, culturally, and religiously critical. The study advances the view that a good wife in modern times must be defined by contemporary dynamics such as women’s emancipation.
Jesca Audo (Education)
Her study focused on how participation in learning activities in Biology lessons mediate the relationship between students’ self-efficacy and the acquisition of generic skills in Uganda’s new lower secondary curriculum. It found that students who actively participated in group tasks, and reflective discussions demonstrated higher levels of confidence in their academic abilities.
Abdulaziz Kakooza (Educ)
He examined how employability skills can be strengthened within Uganda’s pre-service teacher training programmes, focusing on Kyambogo University. It revealed that employers prioritise competencies such as communication, critical thinking, digital literacy. But these skills were insufficiently and inconsistently integrated within existing programmes at Kyambogo University.
Gloria Geria (Education)
She undertook a qualitative case study on teachers’ implementation of group learning pedagogy in primary schools in Central Uganda, focusing on three core dimensions: strategies teachers use to form groups, teachers’ practices in facilitating group learning pedagogy in the classroom, and learners’ experiences and responses to the group learning.
Rhodes Adong (Design and Visual Culture)
She investigated Acholi ritual pottery and how to integrate it into contemporary social design space. The study explored Acholi family rituals that used pots, analysed the significant use of pots in rituals. The study recommends vocational skills training to mitigate the skills gap among the elderly potters and sustainable transmission of pottery-making techniques.
Juma Katungi (Education)
He examined the impact of the Art World Design Thinking Process in enhancing Teacher Pedagogical Creativity among in-service teachers in Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) in Uganda. The study recommended systematic integration of design-thinking approaches into ECCE pre-service training to support ongoing innovation in early childhood pedagogy, among others
Phiona Arineitwe (Education)
She conducted a comprehensive investigation into how ‘institutional support and organisational learning influence teacher competence in government-aided secondary schools in South Western Uganda’. The researcher found that strategies are essential for developing competent, motivated teachers and ultimately improving educational quality in the region.
Esau Bbosa (Religious Studies)
His study examined the Anglican Church of Uganda’s contribution to environmental ethics in the dioceses of Namirembe, Mukono, and Kampala. The study showed that although the Anglican Church’s theological teachings underscore environmental stewardship, the church’s engagement with environmental ethics in the Buganda region has been limited.
Juliet N. Wabwire (Religious Studies)
She investigated the cultural correlations between Biblical circumcision and the Imbalu of the Bamasaba of Uganda. The study advances arguments for the culturally dynamic and ethically responsive practices that negotiate tradition and modernity; hence, a hybrid framework that integrates ritual symbolism, health safeguards, ethical consent, and human rights.
Dr Evaristo Tukamuhabwa (Education)
His study looked at the key factors shaping the effectiveness of Physics teachers in Ugandan secondary schools, focusing particularly on the pedagogical approaches introduced through the SESEMAT programme, the overall school environment, and how this environment moderates the relationship between pedagogy and teacher effectiveness. The findings revealed that SESEMAT pedagogical approaches significantly enhanced teacher effectiveness.The school environment was found to positively moderate the link between pedagogy and teacher effectiveness.
Dr Scholastica Tiguryera (Education)
Her study probed the factors shaping teaching quality among academic staff in Uganda’s public universities, focusing on how teacher self-efficacy mediated the relationship between instructional leadership and teaching quality. Overall, the study found that academic staff reported high levels of self-efficacy and teaching quality. Instructional leadership and teacher self-efficacy significantly and positively predicted teaching quality, demonstrating that strong leadership practices and confidence in one’s teaching abilities are essential contributors to effective instruction.
Penelope Tusaasiirwe (Design and Visual Culture)
She creatively upcycled Post-consumer Textile Waste (PCTW) through art as a strategy that mitigates environmental pollution and fosters environmental sustainability awareness in Uganda. This study affirmed that increased production, consumerism, and under-utilisation of textiles have contributed to an upsurge of textile waste both in the waste streams and landfills, consequently causing changes to the environment. The study recommended a policy guide on how the public should dispose of different types of textile waste.