Uganda is widely praised as one of the world’s most welcoming refugee hosts, opening its borders to families fleeing war and instability in South Sudan, DR Congo, Somalia, Burundi and beyond. But behind this celebrated policy lies a quieter crisis-one unfolding daily in classrooms where refugee children struggle to understand a single word.
For many young refugees, whose schooling was in Arabic, French, or local dialects, Uganda’s English-only education system feels like a locked door. Before they can grasp a lesson, make a friend or answer a question, some are already falling behind, others quietly drop out altogether.
Teachers and humanitarian organisations warn that without urgent, targeted language-bridging programmes, these children risk being permanently left behind, academically and socially, unable to fully integrate into school life or the communities meant to shelter them.
This concern comes as Windle International Uganda (WIU), in partnership with UNHCR and Makerere University’s School of Languages, Literature and Communication, concluded a 10-day specialised training for English teachers from Kiryandongo Refugee Settlement. Funded by the Mastercard Foundation, the programme equips teachers with practical skills to support learners who arrive in Uganda with little or no English.
Mr Muhamood Kimera, Education Programme Manager at Windle International Uganda, says the organisation is running two critical language interventions in Kiryandongo: English for Adults (EFA) and a language-bridging programme for school-going children, designed to run alongside Uganda’s English-based curriculum.
‘These language training services support productivity within the settlement,’ Mr Kimera explained. ‘Most of these refugees come from Sudan, where Arabic is dominant. To integrate into Ugandan society, and to support their children in school, they must at least understand English.’
He added that many learners in both primary and secondary school previously studied under the Sudanese curriculum in Arabic.
‘Now they are in Uganda and want an education, but language is their biggest barrier,’ he said. ‘That is why the bridging programme runs before and after normal school hours, helping learners acquire English while continuing with the Ugandan curriculum.’
Last Friday, Makerere University concluded training for 10 teachers of English, equipping them with tools to better support refugee learners in Kiryandongo. However, the scale of need remains overwhelming. Kimera revealed that the adult programme alone has 364 learners, but only four teachers due to limited funding.
In the absence of adequate support, some students have turned to technology to survive lessons.
‘As teachers teach in English, some Sudanese learners use AI applications on their phones to instantly translate lessons into Arabic,’ Kimera said.
For teachers, the training has been transformative. Mr Charles Rubangakene, a teacher of English at Kiryandongo High School and a beneficiary of the programme, said it has completely reshaped how educators handle linguistically diverse classrooms.
‘This programme has changed our perception,’ he said. ‘It has equipped us with new ways of teaching learners from different cultures and countries.’
Mr Rubangakene added that the training has helped teachers properly assess and place learners with limited English into appropriate classes.
‘We studied approaches such as translanguaging, communicative methods, teaching sounds, and drawing from learners’ lived experiences,’ he explained. ‘We are not the same teachers we were before. This has opened us up to teaching in truly multicultural settings.’
Associate Prof Saudah Namyalo, dean, School of Languages, Literature and Communication at Makerere University, said the university is developing instructional materials for beginner, elementary and intermediate learners to support both bridging courses and adult English programmes.
‘We hope these materials will make your work easier and more effective,’ Prof Namyalo said. ‘And we are committed to supporting this process.’
She also encouraged teachers to continue upgrading their qualifications through Makerere University’s mature-age entry programmes and to invest in continuous research, because for refugee learners, every word learned is a step closer to belonging.