When the Last Bell Rings, the Music Begins: Teachers in Kyangwali Find Their Friday Groove

At Myampindu Primary School in Kyangwali Refugee Settlement – Kikuube District, Friday aerobics are helping teachers unwind after long days in crowded classrooms.

At Myampindu Primary School, Friday afternoons have a different rhythm.

After a week of teaching, the music starts, teachers gather, and the pressure of the classroom gives way to stretching, dancing and laughter.

Leading the sessions is Asiimwe Atuhairwe, the school’s Deputy Headteacher and a Mathematics and Science teacher.

For her and her colleagues, Friday aerobics have become more than an exercise routine. They offer a chance to release the stress of the week and recharge.

“We have classes of over 100 learners,” Asiimwe says. “The workload is a lot. You are moving from one big class to another, and by the end of the day, you are drained.”

Myampindu Primary School has 1,531 refugee learners and just 17 teachers.

With so many learners to attend to, each school day demands energy, patience and careful planning.

For teachers, the pressure continues as one lesson ends and another class waits.

Learning to manage crowded classrooms

For Asiimwe, finding better ways to manage her classroom has been an important part of the change.

Through the Building Resilience, Inspiration, and Growth Holistically for Teachers (BRIGHT) project, teachers received training to strengthen their classroom management skills and support learning in challenging settings.

The BRIGHT Project is supported by the European Union through Global Gateway under the Regional Teachers Initiative for Africa (RTIA). It is implemented by Expertise France and Finn Church Aid (FCA).

“Before, I used to struggle a lot with large classes. I wasn’t used to it,” she recalls. “But after the training, I learnt how to manage better. It changed how I see my classroom.”

The training helped Asiimwe approach the demands of teaching differently. But managing a large classroom is only one part of the job. Teachers also need ways to deal with the pressure that builds up over a long school week.

That is where the Friday aerobics come in.

Trading stress for music and movement

Every Friday, Asiimwe leads her fellow teachers in an aerobics session at the school.

They stretch, move to the music and enjoy time together away from their usual responsibilities.

“After a long day in several classrooms, teachers are stressed,” she explains. “Aerobics help us relax and reduce that stress.”

The sessions have become a regular part of school life. They give teachers time to unwind, connect with colleagues and let go of some of the tension that comes with teaching large classes.

“It helps us release the stress of the week,” Asiimwe says. “When we finish, you feel lighter.”

For teachers who spend much of their day attending to hundreds of learners, these moments matter.

They are a reminder that the people supporting children’s learning also need care and support.

Opening doors for women in leadership

The changes at Myampindu go beyond the classroom and the aerobics sessions.

The BRIGHT Project has also supported greater inclusion of female teachers in school leadership and decision-making.

For Asiimwe, this change is personal. She points to the support she received as part of her experience of becoming a female Deputy Headteacher.

Her experience highlights the importance of creating opportunities for women teachers to take on leadership roles and contribute to decisions that shape their schools.

Learning and growing together

Another important part of the support comes through Teacher Learning Circles. These provide opportunities for teachers to meet, discuss their experiences and learn from one another.

In these sessions, teachers share challenges, exchange ideas and discuss practical ways to improve their teaching.

“In the learning circles, we share challenges and successes,” Asiimwe says. “You realize you are not alone. Someone else is going through the same thing.”

For teachers working under pressure, these conversations provide an opportunity to learn from colleagues who understand their experiences and challenges.

Supporting the people behind every lesson

At Myampindu Primary School, classrooms remain crowded and the demands on teachers are high. But Asiimwe’s experience shows that supporting teachers means looking beyond lesson plans and teaching methods.

It means equipping them with practical classroom management skills, creating opportunities for women to lead, encouraging peer learning and making space for their wellbeing.

As Asiimwe puts it: “It is not just teaching. It is learning how to survive, support each other, and stay strong for the learners.”

And on Fridays, when the last bell rings and the music begins, teachers get a chance to do just that. For a little while, the people who spend their days caring for learners can take time to care for themselves, too.

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Text: Linda Kabuzire /FCA

Images; Björn Udd / FCA