Public Health ·
Ugandan Teacher Training Trial Finds Short-Term Gains in Knowledge and Well-Being
A cluster randomized trial in 47 Ugandan primary schools compared professional development (PD), PD with a teacher-wellness component, and control among 509 teachers. The enhanced program improved self-reported evidence-based practice knowledge and use, stress management, and stress outcomes over the short term, while PD alone improved knowledge.
- Trial included 509 teachers across 47 Ugandan schools.
- Enhanced training improved reported practice use and stress management.
- Stress reduction estimate had a confidence interval including no effect.
- Outcomes were self-reported and short-term.
This cluster randomized clinical trial enrolled 509 teachers from 47 urban and rural primary schools in Uganda between August 2021 and February 2025. Schools were assigned to professional development (PD), PD plus a teacher-wellness enhancement (PDT), or control. PD included three training days and eight coaching sessions; PDT added a one-day wellness workshop and three group support sessions. The analysis focused on short-term teacher outcomes and followed the intention-to-treat principle.
Compared with control, PDT was associated with greater knowledge of evidence-based practices (standardized mean difference [SMD], 0.57; 95% CI, 0.26-0.88), greater reported use of those practices (SMD, 0.36; 95% CI, 0.01-0.71), and improved stress management (SMD, 0.50; 95% CI, 0.19-0.80). The reduction in stress was smaller and its confidence interval included no difference (SMD, −0.27; 95% CI, −0.54 to 0.01). PD alone improved knowledge (SMD, 0.33; 95% CI, 0.03-0.62). Attendance was higher with PDT than PD.
The findings support feasibility and short-term effects of delivering teacher training through existing school resources. Outcomes were self-reported, and the reported results do not establish effects on children’s mental health. The trial’s conclusions concern short-term teacher outcomes, despite follow-up extending to 24 months.
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JAMA Network Open: A Scalable Teacher Professional Development and Wellness Program in Primary Schools ↗This is an automated AI-condensed summary that has not yet been reviewed by an editor. Always consult the full item at the original source.