Meet the teachers championing the Learning through Play methodology in Uganda

The PlayMatters project was launched in Uganda in 2020 by a consortium led by the International Rescue Committee alongside War Child and Plan International, with funding from the LEGO Foundation.

As a professional development programme, it aims to integrate Learning through Play teaching methods into education policies and systems, while also partnering with local education actors to deliver training and support to teachers and schools.

Learning through Play is an active teaching and learning methodology that capitalises on a child’s natural desire to engage in play. Through guided, hands-on, meaningful, play-based interactions, children are provided with the emotional, cognitive, social, creative and physical skills to recover from the trauma of violence and displacement and prevent these experiences from shaping their futures.

Over the past five years, the PlayMatters project has surpassed its target of 350,000 children by 135%, reaching 471,431 children between January 2020 and March 2026. War Child alone reached 79,144 people through the project in 2024.

Teachers share their experience of how the PlayMatters project has impacted their schools

To ensure that participating schools and centres have all the tools they need to implement the Learning through Play methodology in their classrooms, they are provided with a range of support in their first year of involvement through the Playmatters Core Package.

This includes teacher training, school leader training, continuous professional development (CPD) for teachers, community engagement, providing learning materials to students and teachers, and rehabilitating schools into safe and inclusive environments for all children to learn in.

Hear from teachers and headteachers in Uganda about how the project has impacted their schools and learning outcomes for their students:

Sister Secunda, a headteacher of a primary school in southwestern Uganda says that Learning through Play methods have helped her students excel academically, and now she is supporting other schools to adopt the same approach.

“The introduction of the PlayMatters project at our school marked a turning point in our teaching and learning approach. Recognising the potential of the Learning through Play methodology to transform education, I actively participated in all trainings, involved my staff, and supported the practical use of LtP in classrooms. Alongside other school leaders, I conducted regular lesson observations to ensure the approach was effectively integrated into daily teaching.

“Before PlayMatters, our professional development efforts were inconsistent and reactive. However, the project helped us institutionalise a structured CPD programme, now firmly embedded in our school calendar.

“The teachers now actively use the Learning through Play methodology, creating more child-focused classrooms and improved interactions with learners which resulted in 97% of our students passing with Division 1 (highest marks) in the Primary Leaving Examination of 2024, and also increased enrolment.

“Our school is now recognised as a model for inclusive, play-based learning and is supporting other schools in adopting the same approach.”

Dawa Josephine, a literacy and numeracy teacher at a primary school in West Nile says that her Learning through Play thought her to put learners' needs at the centre of her lessons, making them more interactive and enjoyable. The training provided through PlayMatters has also boosted her skills and confidence as a teacher.

“Before receiving the Learning through Play training, I primarily used traditional, teacher-centered methods where I dominated the classroom lesson and rarely gave learners opportunities to participate. I seldom used teaching materials, and my lesson plans contained very few activities that involved learners. As a result, many learners struggled to understand the lessons.

“After the training that was conducted by War Child, I realised that my previous methods were very boring and less effective for the learners. The training introduced me to learner-centered approaches, which helped me create more engaging activities that actively involve all students. I also learned to make teaching materials that benefit the entire class, making my lessons more interactive and enjoyable. This approach has encouraged learners to attend school regularly and attracted more children to join, eager to interact with the learning materials.”

“Professionally, the training has significantly improved my teaching skills. The CPD trainings, both foundational and refresher sessions, equipped me to supervise peer learning, mentorship, coaching, and Community of Practice activities at the school.

“The CPD training helped me to develop leadership, teamwork, communication, organisation, planning, and collaboration skills, learn management of the curriculum and prioritisation of activities. Notably, my problem-solving skills have been enhanced, an attribute which enables me to support other struggling colleagues to find other fun, learner centred and active ways of teaching in class.

“I now support other teachers as a resource person (a champion teacher), fostering interaction among learners. Another amazing achievement for me was being recognised by the district as an exemplary teacher who has promoted LtP in school. This enhanced my self-esteem, made me feel valued, and boosted my confidence.”

“I am always happy to share my knowledge with other teachers to learn and take-up.”

Barungi is not only a primary school teacher in western Uganda but is now also a Learning through Play Trainer of Trainers (ToT) and Champion Teacher, helping other educators to learn about play based learning.

“Before receiving training on the Learning through Play methodology, my understanding of it was limited. The foundational training was a turning point that deepened my understanding of play-based learning and refreshed my perspective on how children naturally participate in lessons that have a play-based delivery. While the training was insightful, it didn’t fully cover all aspects of the methodology. Nonetheless, I was determined to grow. I committed myself to ongoing consultation and actively participated in mentorship sessions, as encouraged during the training.

“We were assured of continued support from PlayMatters, college tutors, and district education staff. Upon returning to school, we were tasked with establishing Continuous Professional Development Committees (CPDCs), and I was honored to join ours. The initial phase was challenging. The methodology was new, I was still building confidence in its application, and some colleagues were skeptical. Additionally, competing priorities made implementation difficult.

“However, support supervision visits from PlayMatters staff, and district officials were instrumental. These engagements strengthened my grasp of the methodology and transformed my teaching practice. My lesson planning became more inclusive, my classroom environment more engaging, and learner participation increased significantly. I also became more creative in delivering content.”

“The mentorship I received not only enhanced my professional growth but also empowered me to mentor others.

“Due to my dedication and consistent application of the methodology, I was selected as a ToT and Champion Teacher. Leading by example and practicing what I’ve been coached on has earned me the trust of my peers, making it easier to support and guide them.

“I am deeply grateful to War Child for equipping us with the knowledge on LtP methodology and for their continued mentorship and coaching. This journey has not only transformed my teaching but also strengthened our school’s commitment to playful learning experiences.”