Life In The Fellowship

The program equips fellows with hands-on leadership and pedagogical skills to become effective teachers and lifelong leaders who are deeply rooted in the communities they serve.

We recruit and train top university graduates and young professionals from all academic backgrounds to join the two-year Fellowship where they serve as full-time teacher-leaders (Fellows) of under-served, rural government-aided primary schools.

How to become a fellow

THE TFU FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM

The Teach For Uganda Fellowship is a 2-year teaching as a leadership program that equips fellows with hands-on leadership and pedagogical skills to become effective teachers and lifelong leaders who are deeply rooted in the communities they serve. Fellows transform their classrooms by setting high expectations for their students and maintaining a culture of high academic achievement to increase learning outcomes thus supporting students to fulfill their potential.

As they serve in these communities, Fellows gain a deeper understanding of educational inequity and how it perpetuates the cycle of poverty. They start to develop the mindsets, knowledge, and skills for transformational leadership needed to cause a sustainable change in the education ecosystem.

In the long-term, with continued support, our alumni will bench-mark on their Fellowship experience to drive systemic change within Uganda’s education ecosystem as educators, social entrepreneurs, and policymakers; all working collectively to advance equitable access to quality education.

By Joining the TFU Fellowship, you improve the achievements and aspirations of underprivileged students around the country as you hone leadership skills, grow personally and professionally.

In the next 5 years, our goal is to grow to 1,798 Fellows and government teachers (in-service) impacting over 326,400 students directly, with a growing network of over 1,020 alumni leaders. Among these, 65% will continue to work in the education sector, 30% will create social enterprises and 5% will influence policy; collectively advancing equitable access to quality education. Become a fellow

RECRUITMENT

We recruit outstanding graduates from all disciplines of study with strong academic backgrounds and leadership experience to commit to serving as full-time teachers in rural UPE schools for 2 years.

Candidates undergo a rigorous selection process where we assess them on key competencies required for them to be eligible for the Fellowship. These include perseverance and resilience, critical thinking, mission alignment, leadership potential, and persuasive communication skills.

Our fellows are recruited from top universities in Uganda, but we also encourage and welcome Ugandans living abroad to apply.

TRAINING

Successful fellows start their fellowship journey with an initial 6-week intensive residential pre-service training in pedagogy and leadership. Here, they are introduced to teaching and leadership practices for the classroom such as lesson planning and delivery, classroom management, learner-centered methodologies of teaching, and community mobilization.

Fellows then get the chance to practice their newfound skills in a 3-month Teaching Practice program in rural UPE schools. The training is designed to equip fellows with the knowledge, skills, and mindsets necessary for them to become exceptional leaders to drive change in the schools and communities where they will be placed.

Once in the classrooms, fellows continue to receive individual and team coaching and support from their dedicated leadership coaches to grow in their role as effective teachers and leaders throughout the 2-year fellowship. Additionally, they have access to continuous professional development through in-service training and online resources.

PLACEMENT

Trained fellows are placed in under-served UPE schools as full-time teaching staff for 2 years. We place them in low-income communities because that’s where there is the greatest need and a great opportunity for change. Fellows will work with the existing teachers to increase student learning outcomes, and also mobilize the community to engage in school programs.

In their second year, Fellows will have the opportunity to plan and implement initiatives aimed at addressing challenges affecting the children and the communities they serve.