“Unlike other schools where science teachers are conversant with all the models in the science kits, a number of them here have been just keeping them in headteachers’ offices. They just continued with their theoretical lessons,” he said.
In a bid to promote experimental learning, primary and secondary school teachers in the island district of Buvuma have been trained to use physical objects to enhance understanding among the learners.
The training, which started on Wednesday and ended on Thursday, is part of a nationwide project that was rolled out by the education ministry in 2021. It is being implemented by Riverflow International, a teacher led organisation that aims at improving learning outcomes.
Raymond Mugunda, the Buvuma district education officer, said the district received science kits in 2022, but the teachers were not well-versed with their usage during teaching.
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“Unlike other schools where science teachers are conversant with all the models in the science kits, a number of them here have been just keeping them in headteachers’ offices. They just continued with their theoretical lessons,” he said.
The training, which attracted all the science teachers from the nine sub-counties of Buvuma district, was conducted at Buvuma College School in Nairambi sub-county.
Mugunda hailed the trainers from Riverflow International and asked the trainees to pass on the skills to their colleagues.
“Given the fact that teachers have attended this training in groups, we expect those who will have missed some information to consult their counterparts in the nearby schools,” he emphasised.
Buvuma is made up of 52 islands in Lake Victoria and access to education is a challenge. Its performance in national exams has always been poor, the reason why the Education Ministry is focused to have some slight improvement starting with the science teachers.
Science kits are educational tools designed to make learning science hands-on and engaging, often including materials, manuals and equipment for conducting experiments and exploring scientific concepts.
Stewart Nabaasa, the innovation and science manager at Riverflow International, said at least 1,500 primary schools across the country have benefited from the programme.
Nabaasa said the distribution of science kits was meant to move the teaching from textbook learning and encourage hands-on science education.
“Research has proved that learners tend to forget what they hear, remember what they see and they understand what they themselves do. Therefore, the science kits encourage the teaching where learners see as the teachers are teaching and also have a chance of touching some of the models. We are discouraging the tendency of teachers just dictating notes to learners. We need practical learning,” he said.
Grace Kisakye, the deputy headteacher of Kirongo Primary School, thanked the Government for availing the schools with the science kits and training.
Kisakye is optimistic that with the availability of science kits and the training given to science teachers, performance in Buvuma schools is going to improve.
“With the science kits, more learners are testifying that science is no longer a hard subject. This was also evident in our school PLE results, we had more candidates passing science which was not the case before,” she said.
She, however, lobbied the education ministry to always plan refresher teacher trainings on a regular basis given the current trend where teaching is changing from what teachers learnt in colleges and universities to a new student centered learning.
Ambrose Tumuramye, another trainer, said the underlying objective in the trainings is to inspire teachers and learners, stimulating their interest in science.
Tumuramye said in absence of science laboratories in many schools, availability of science kits will go a long way in bridging the gap. Не thanked the Government for thinking of the science kit handout to schools.
Tumuramye also challenged teachers to avoid going to class before having a thorough grasp of what they intend to teach.
Joshua Ndungo, a teacher at Lukoma Primary School in Busamuzi sub-county, said some of the science kits had given them hard time, citing the microscope which had challenged him, but after the training, he can now handle it very well.
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