Dr. Sam Andema (PhD)
Dr. Sam Andema
Dr. Samuel Andema is an accomplished scholar in language and literacy education with over fifteen years of expertise in designing, implementing, and evaluating education programs across Sub-Saharan Africa, with a particular focus on Uganda and East Africa. He has worked as Assistant Professor of Literacy Education and Programs Coordinator at Aga Khan University in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Samuel’s extensive academic background includes designing and teaching courses in research methods and literacy education, as well as pioneering the Master of Education program at Aga Khan University. His research portfolio spans several high-impact projects, such as Co-PI in the Foundations for Learning project, funded by Global Affairs Canada and implemented by the Aga Khan University Institute for Educational Development, a $35 million, five-year initiative aimed at enhancing educational quality and access in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda from 2020 to 2024. He has over 11 years teaching, coaching and mentoring experience at universities including Aga Khan University, Institute of Educational Development, East Africa and Kyambogo University. At PTRI, he serves as the Director for Research and Training.
Sam is an educationist with perspective and experience with United States government grants. He is a program management specialistwith over fifteen years of cumulative experience in designing, teaching, managing, monitoring and evaluating education programs in Uganda, East Africa, and Sub-Saharan Africa and beyond. From January 2019-2020, he provided technical leadership and guidance to the program management of USAID’s Early Grade Reading (EGR) and related awards, providing appropriate oversight and overall direction for the overall basic education/early grade reading portfolio of the United States Mission in Uganda. It was during this time that Sam participated in the designing of USAID/Uganda’s (US$ 150 million worth) five years Integrated Child and Youth Development Activity/Program which focuses on improving the fidelity of early grade reading (EGR) model with greater emphasis on teacher professional development, coaching, and mentoring. From 2014-2018, he worked as a Policy Adviser for the Africa Story Book Project (ASP) in Johannesburg, South Africa during which time he provided strategic guidance and direction to the African Storybook project team and advised the project team on strategic and tactical policy decisions. In 2017, Dr Andema was hired as a lead consultant by the National Organization of Women Organizations in Uganda (NAWOU) to strengthen the capacity of 26 women groups in 13 sub-counties in Luweero District through participatory community dialogue training, which reinvigorated the women groups. As Chairman of the International Development Coordinating Committee – Global, International Reading Association, Sam coordinated a standing committee of International Reading Association that consists of regional International Development Committees (IDCs) for Africa, Asia, Caribbean, Eurasia, Europe, Latin America, North America and the Oceania; he spearheaded the identification of new partnerships and strengthening of existing partnerships through which IRA was able to expand access to literacy for all particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa. He has over 11 years teaching, coaching and mentoring experience at universities including Aga Khan University, Institute of Educational Development, East Africa and Kyambogo University. Sam has a PhD and MA degrees in literacy Education from University of British Columbia and a Post Graduate Diploma in Human Resource management from Uganda Management Institute with project planning and management as core subject.