Planning and Coordination of Accelerated Education Programme for Refugee Learners’ Experiences From Uganda
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Date
2024-03-26
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Uganda Christian University
Abstract
This study focused on understanding how planning and coordination of Accelerated Education Programme (AEP) for Refugee Learners is done with the purpose to develop planning and coordination models tailored to this kind of programme. The study adopted a qualitive approach, borrowing from grounded theory design to explore how stakeholders experience planning and coordination for AEP to enhance transition of Refugee learners to Secondary Education. Data collection and analysis took Qualitative procedures inclined to grounded theory principles. Consistent with grounded theory procedures; data collection and analysis were done simultaneously. In-depth interview and document analysis were used to collect data. Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) were used to gain consensus. Data analysis involved constant comparison analysis which was a back-and-forth process which required re-alignment of preliminary aspects of the study to develop categories and subcategories until a point of saturation was reached. In the first step of analysis 42 codes were developed with the help of qualitative data analysis software (NVivo version 13), the subsequent interviews involved comparing similarities and meanings of emerging data and allocating codes. Codes arising were compared to form categories and subcategories. The Core categories that emerged from data include Programme Support, stakeholder engagement, Curriculum, beneficiaries, and coordination at all levels. The findings indicate that planning for AEPs is based on the four major aspects above, however, there is a gap in the way planning is done which negatively influences the transition of AEP learners to Secondary education. The above factors need to be taken into consideration right from the initial stages of the programme. A Community- Focused Planning Model and a school-based coordination models were developed from the study. The planning model upholds the significance of community-focused planning with an emphasis on looking beyond the academic needs of AEP learners and taking into consideration the socio-ecological environment/community in which the child lives while planning for AEP. The coordination model puts emphasis on student/school-centered coordination approaches.