RESPECT University Launches Course in Northern Uganda

by Emily Moreton

The first assignments from a new RESPECT University course were just recently received by their tutor for marking, and she was pleasantly surprised by just how well the students are grounded in the subject.

Catherine Barr, who started teaching the new Business Skills course after responding to an advert with the UN Online Volunteers, is based in Hong Kong and teaches six students in Kitgum, Uganda. The course is a mix of men and women, of all ages from school leavers to those in their mid-thirties.

The Business Skills course, which includes units on business organizations, recruitment and training, finance, and marketing, was based on what students said they wanted in pre-course questionnaires. It is therefore very practical and skills-based, showing students how to set up and run their own business.

Catherine finds it a challenge to convey the large amounts of information she needs to into a practical length written lesson, particularly the combination of general information and abstract concepts. She also raises concerns over the difficulty for students in accessing external resources, or raising questions outside of the module.

However, Catherine speaks enthusiastically of the course and her students, praising their dedication, motivation, and enthusiasm, as well as the chance to hear about students' own experiences of the world. She also enjoys the chance to be creative with her materials, allowing her to gear the course more closely to her students' needs.