CEMASTEA is ​ISO 9001:2008 Certified and in order to maintain its Quality management system,it is critical to put in place a risk based approach to management.It is because of this that CEMASTEA has planned a six days training for management on risk based approach to management.The workshop is being conducted by the Kenya Bureau of Standards( KEBS ) National Quality Institute(NQI) at the North Coast beach hotel

Theme: Situating CEMASTEA as a centre for Education for Sustainable Development

Objectives:

1. To train CEMASTEA staff on ESD

2. To develop principles and toolbox for ESD and sustainable change from the sciences and for the science teacher

3. To lay the foundations for cooperation in ESD for teachers' trainers in Israel and Kenya as a first step towards founding the Kenya-Israel Center for ESD

4. To lay the groundwork for training activities in Kenya as part of the development process within the MOU

CEMASTEA  joined head teachers from secondary schools from all over the country in the 40th KESSHA Annual Delegates conference held in Mombasa County which was officially opened by the Deputy President, H. E William Ruto, at the Wild Waters.

Theme: “Quality Education for Sustainable Development”.

The conference was a good platform to engage and share ideas and challenges facing the head teachers in various parts of the country.

There is an ongoing ASAL CLUSTER INSET TRAINERS’ INDUCTION WORKSHOP in CEMASTEA with a total Number of participants: 28 (2 science and 2 math trainers per college).

Objective:

To prepare the County Trainers (Primary) to facilitate effectively in the ASAL Cluster INSET

Expected Outcomes: 

1. National Trainers’ presentations on the session which should include but not limited to the rationale, session objectives, introduction, session activities and the conclusion
2. Regional Trainers’ facilitation notes/power point presentations.

The Baringo County INSET started off  on Monday 27th April 2015 at Kapropita Girls High school. The chief guest during the opening ceremony was TSC CD Mr. Alex Cheruiyot. The occassion was also graced by Baringo County CDE Dr. Daniel Mosbei and the centre principal Mrs. Kiprop.

CEMASTEA is currently hosting iMlango for a one week Training of Trainers. The training is attended by approximately 45 participants. The aim of the training is to introduce the teachers to basic components of iMlango, like the use of Maths-Whizz; the Virtual Online Maths Tutor for 5 to 13 Year Olds, VSAT, Ubuntu, sQuad Card and iMlango portal. These skills are to be used to help improve the education experience and to help communities access the digital economy.

Who is iMlango?

iMlango is a learning programme developed for African schools, with its First Phase mobilising now in Kenya. It delivers digital access, smartcard-based attendance monitoring and online learning tools to primary schools. This First Phase is delivering improved education outcomes to 150,000 children - including 50,000 marginalised girls - in 195 schools.

You can follow their story and updates on their website http://www.imlango.com/

CEMASTEA is currently housing Innovation Kenya in the ICT laboratory, conducting a GMin Innovate Challenges (InChallenges) program which is a national invention challenge for youth in Sierra Leone, Kenya and South Afri­ca. The program runs for 3 weeks starting 13^th April, ending 1^st May, 2015.

The InChallenges program elicits project proposals from youth around the country and offers design workshops, seed funding, and mentorship to select finalists in order for them to develop their concepts into tangible solu­tions that positively affect their community. The InChallenges program enhances critical and creative thinking, promotes civic engage­ment, strengthens STEAM literacies and de­velops entrepreneurship and leadership skills.

Launched in 2012, the InChallenges program has received close to 800 project proposals to date. Over 200 youth between the ages of 13-18 have created over 70 working prototypes that tackled pressing challenges in their local communities including agriculture, environ­ment, art, communication, health, sanitation and energy. Over 50% of participants are girls and 90% of students have pursued higher edu­cation or entrepreneurship after participation in InChallenges.

Through SMASE INSET teachers experience how to conduct activities and experiments in schools with limited resources and infrastructure.In this picture participants carry out experiments in biology from a classroom.In SMASE we believe in developing teachers capacity to be innovative in their teaching to arouse and sustain learner interest through active learning strategies.

Hellen Mutundu a county SMASE INSET trainer conducts a biology session on development of manipulative,observatory and recording skills in learners at Isiolo boys ,Isiolo county.She is now cascading training to other teachers of biology who shall apply the skills in their classes.This is the cascade system of INSET as used in the SMASE program.
The INSET participants are teachers with a teaching experience of between 1-6 years.The discussion were quite informative.They found the discussion on identifying scientific concepts from the content most informative.They Recognised and appreciated the importance of creating learning situations to aid students to understand the concepts.It is evidence of deeper learning.

CEMASTEA Nationl Trainers, Mr. Waibochi P.N. (left) and Mr. Kiruja G.K. (right) presenting the national flag and a copy of the constitution 2010 and other materials to the Principal Kihuyo Secondary School in Nyeri, Mr. Kiumba J. Kibe (centre) when they paid a courtesy call to the school in March 2015 as part of CEMASTEAs Corporate social responsibility.