School Visit Ngaru Girls Secondary School

Article written by Beatrice Macharia and Winfred Magu

Photos by Winfred Magu

School visits at CEMASTEA play an integral role in enhancing learning and motivation towards STEM education and linking classroom experiences with real life. During the visits, learners engage in activities across various subjects, mainly in Science, Technology, Engineering and STEM and Mathematics (STEM), Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) innovations and Information, Communication & Technology (ICT). They perform experiments, engage in discussions also benefit from motivational talks.

In September, CEMASTEA hosted fifty-seven learners and two teachers from Ngaru Girls Secondary school Kirinyaga County. The learners had the opportunity to experience the fun of learning by engaging in various activities. In biology, they did anaerobic respiration, ecology, and transport in animals, support and movement. In chemistry, they undertook activities in electrolysis and gas law experiments. Concepts demonstrated in physics included electromagnetic induction, Van deer Graph principle and pressure. In ESD, they focused on environmental conservation activities and the setting up of a black soldier fly project.

Ngaru secondary school student engage in STEM and ESD activities during the visit.

The most exciting part of the visit was the innovations laboratory. Here the learners performed activities to enhance their critical thinking, problem-solving, and creativity and innovations skills. The Committee on Special Programmes, Student Learning coordinates the school visits at CEMASTEA.

Beatrice Macharia and Winfred Magu, CEMASTEA

ICT Training: Witu Mjini Secondary School Teachers

Article written by Beatrice Macharia and Muyanga Mutua

Photos by  Maulidi Khalfan and Justus Wambua

Teacher Professional Development (TPD) empowers teachers to deliver better lessons and learning experiences.  In this recognition, Witu Mjini Secondary school Principal Mr Paul Wainaina supported his teachers and lab technicians to attend a two-day customised training at CEMASTEA from 27^th and 28^th August.  The teachers also used the opportunity to engage in team-building activities facilitated by Wambugu wa Kamau, a motivational speaker.

The customised training focused on enhancing the skills of the teachers and technicians to integrate ICT in teaching and learning. The training with a practical orientation had sessions that included; the concept of ICT integration, introduction to Technology, Pedagogical and Content Knowledge (TPACK) model, using remote learning, and conferencing resources to plan and deliver lessons. These resources include Zoom, Microsoft teams, Google Meet and Google Classroom. Other activities during the training were visits to the Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) projects, mathematics room, science laboratories and the innovations room.

This training equipped the teachers with knowledge and skills for engaging learners remotely and developing innovative activities that could enrich learning in their school. Participants were awarded a certificate at the end of the training.

During the closing ceremony for the training, the Director congratulated the school leader for supporting his entire staff to attend the training.  She noted this set an excellent example for the rest of the schools in the country. She promised to promote the school through the provision of science equipment and further collaboration in future.

Director CEMASTEA, Mrs. Jacinta Akatsa, HSC awards a certificate to the school principal Mr. Paul Wainaina

Teachers from Witu Mjini Secondary School, Lamu County, engaged in innovative learning activities during a visit to CEMASTEA