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About the Leaders in Teaching Programme
The Leaders in Teaching (LIT) Uganda Programme is a flagship initiative of the Mastercard Foundation that seeks to transform secondary education. The five-year programme (2025–2029) aims to reach 67,000 in-service teachers, 7,500 pre-service teachers, and 6,273 school leaders across Uganda, equipping them with the skills, motivation, and support needed to contribute to improved learning outcomes.
The programme aligns with the Mastercard Foundation’s Young Africa Works Strategy, which aims to enable 30 million young people across Africa to access dignified and fulfilling work by 2030, including 4.3 million youth in Uganda.
Leaders in Teaching is implemented through a consortium of ten partners including; Luigi Giussani Foundation as the consortium lead, UNICEF, British Council, Edukans Uganda, Brainwave Careers, VVOB – education for development, Promoting Equality in African Schools (PEAS), STiR Education, Forum for Education NGOs in Uganda (FENU), and Teach for Uganda (TFU), with overall oversight support provided by the Ministry of Education and Sports.
Implementation of the programme is anchored on four pillars: Teacher Recruitment, Teacher Training, Education Leadership & Management and Teacher Motivation, each addressing a stage of a teacher’s career journey.
VVOB’s Role in the Lead Pillar
VVOB has actively trained school leaders at various levels through our Foundational Learning and Skilling for Sustainable Futures programmes, helping them provide better support to teachers and improve instructional quality. This work has strengthened learning environments and improved outcomes for students in participating schools. Our involvement in the Leaders in Teaching programme now offers an opportunity to expand this work nationwide and strengthen its impact across Uganda’s secondary education sector.
VVOB will spearhead the Lead pillar with support from the African Centre for School Leadership, which brings expertise in school leader policy and practice. Our focus will be on strengthening leadership and management practices in secondary schools. With over 40 years of experience in developing teachers and school leaders across nine countries, VVOB is excited to continue our partnership with Uganda’s Ministry of Education and Sports to improve systems for professional development and supervision of secondary school leaders.
Within the Lead Pillar, VVOB will work closely with the partner organisation Promoting Equality in African Schools (PEAS), which supports digital school inspections and peer support structures.
The major interventions include:
- Delivering a blended certificate course for school leaders, co-designed with Ugandan universities
- Strengthening institutional frameworks and leadership competency profiles
- Enhancing data systems for school improvement planning – carried out by PEAS
Promoting inclusive, gender-responsive leadership practices
We are delighted to work alongside VVOB and PEAS to empower school leaders to drive meaningful, lasting improvement in their schools and the communities around them. This is not just about leadership development; it is about creating the conditions for every young person to access quality education and realise their full potential.
Strategic Alignment with National Priorities
The programme aligns with Uganda’s National Teacher Policy, Vision 2040 and the Education and Sports Sector Strategic Plan (ESSP 2024–2025). It complements government initiatives such as the Uganda Secondary Education Expansion Project (USEEP), the Education Response Plan II and the Teacher Training Education (TTE) project supported by Enabel. These efforts aim to improve access to quality education, particularly in refugee-hosting districts and underserved communities of Uganda.
Empowering School Leaders for Lasting Change
School leaders play an important role in shaping the learning environment. The Lead pillar will equip them to support teachers, foster safe and inclusive schools, manage performance and use data to guide decision-making and policy implementation. Leadership development will be supported through peer networks, mentorship programmes and digital tools to reach more schools effectively.
The programme also prioritises gender equity and inclusion, supporting more women in leadership roles and improving learning outcomes for girls, especially in STEM. It will also address barriers faced by learners with disabilities and those in refugee communities.
The consortium of ten organisations in the Leaders in Teaching Programme represents a forward-looking investment in Uganda’s education system and also provides opportunities for collaboration and knowledge-sharing to strengthen teachers, school leaders and schools nationwide.
Learn more about VVOB’s Effective School Leadership Flagship