STUDENT ELABORATES ON THE EXPERIENCE OF LEARNING THROUGH INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

 It is a very fascinating way of life learning through the use of a particular item as the axiom  goes “where you will sit when   you are old shows where  you stood in your  youth” that is through the dot .com. era together  with the use of ICT.

ICT is referred to as the study of the use of computers, the internet, video and technology as a subject in schools and colleges like Saint Leo’s college.

ICT has been used in schools for learning purposes during study sessions and the following facts about ICT have been proved by the educationalists to be of a very grateful use that is the streaming    which is used in the transferring of data in a continuous and even flow which allows users (students) to access and use a file before it has been transmitted.

Furthermore has provided JPEG which stands for “Joint Photographic  Experts Group”  which is a graphical created image using compression techniques to reduce the full size taught in schools and other institutions without excluding the likes of saint Leo’ college.

Additionally to the said ICT contains internet, websites and web browsers   which are used by schools to purchase different scholastics materials and also be used as communication means to important people for example the old boy who donated scholastic materials like text books worthy forty three million shillings to saint Leo’s college which was due to the interaction that was made possible with him on face book which is an element of ICT.

Most importantly it has eased and even made the learning of English language and literature in English rather fascinating. We now can access short stories, novels for   example Oliver Twist, The African child, and the lion and Jewel. Much can be added to the said but less can be subtracted from the use of ICT.

And in a nutshell as it is said that “life is like riding a bicycle, to keep your balance on it you must keep on riding” So due to the fact that the world will run by the help of ICT and digital migration. Most of the jobs will run by the use of computers, so fellow brothers and sisters get knowledge and more information about ICT and the digital elementary services and devices right  now so that you can enjoy a bright future.   

BY MUHUMUZA DAN  S.2A.

ICT IS CHANGING ENGLISH TEACHING IN SCHOOLS - RWENZORI REGION

Teachers from the districts of Kasese under the Connect for Change (C4C) project run by RIC-NET had a field visit to schools in Kabarole. The visit took place on 19^th September 2014 with field visit at St.Leo’s college Kyegobe then to Canon Apollo PTC to look at the operation of the college English lab and Kyebambe Girls schools. The main objective was “to learn what the teachers in Kabarole have done and share lessons and experiences”. The main goal is to contribute to improved performance of students through effective teaching-learning process in Secondary schools in Kasese.14 teachers 6 female and 8 males representing 3 schools and 1 PTC participated in the field learning trip.Some of the benefits of integrating ICT into teaching and learning include the following; ICT caters for Different learning Styles of learners, ICT enables learners to play an active role in learning, ICT increases the attention span of learners; A lesson that incorporate ICT well has the ability of engaging learners and therefore tends to capture and hold the attention of the learners for a long time.ICT can provide real-life experiences; ICT can help link the subject taught to real-world situations or examples. For example watching news item on TV about flooding caused by climate change in one part of the world is a real-life, ICT encourages collaborative learning: learners can work in groups to achieve learning objectives. Instead of working alone on projects and activities, learners share ideas, learn team work skills and help each other to accomplish tasks, ICT improves presentation of work; use of word processors and presentation software enables neat presentation of work. This boosts self confidence among learners (and teachers).ICT offers flexibility of anywhere anytime learning.

The lessons learnt were; sharing skills and knowledge is more important. “Our success has largely depended on the support of the school administration” said Lillian of St.Leo’s college. The head teacher has supported us greatly. He appropriated us with the English room and supported us with training. “Adaptation to innovations depends on the person’s attitude to change” said Felix of St.Thereza. I therefore encourage other teachers to be positive to whatever changes and innovations in teaching that comes our way. “ICT innovation improves the teacher’s innovations in lesson preparation” said Edna of Kilembe SS. Preparing a lesson using ICT tools require that you spend good time preparing the lesson which improves the teacher’s creativity. Teachers are also learners all the time and learning is a lifelong process, we should impress this learning ability. “We are not paid in terms of money but the output to the community” Mr. Jobson. English labs are important for the improving the teaching learning ability and teachers promised to work with the administration to have these labs functional. “We are the ones to sustain the project and make it spread to other schools by showing high level of skills and being examples in our schools” Mr. Muhumuza of Kyebambe Girls. We should make proper use of the equipments.

From these lessons we can make difference and change the way English is taught in schools. In doing that the teachers pledged to form an association of teachers from 6 schools such that they can easily share the innovations and influence change of attitude towards the subject on the side of the learn and improve the literacy level. 

STAR SCHOOLS RECEIVE SANITARY SUPPORT (17/SEPTMBER/ 2014)

One of the objectives of the star model school is to enable pupils start and stay in school to the end. This however can only be attained if children are healthy. If children must start and remain in schools their comfort should be paramount.

It is upon the community therefore to see to it that sanitation of schools is given priority or else the intended purpose of taking children to school will be all in vain.

In most rural schools, sanitation is a problem and the two model schools in question are no exceptional. In Bwanika for instance the girls hardly have enough room where they can be refreshed. Canon Apollo also lacks such facilities.

Considering this, CFSU and its partners took the concern to support the two schools with the following:

·         3 Jerri cans for each school

·         3 basins for each school

·         3 dozes of toilet paper rolls for each school

·         2¹/₂boxes of sanitary pads for each school

·         1 box of bar soap for each school

·         1 giant big size of powder soap for each school

·         1 Leesu for each school

It was assumed that children would fetch water if someone needed to wash anything or take shower water would be available.

It was also assumed that with the viability of the toilet paper rolls as well as the sanitary pads and the Leesu, girls through the matron would be given help whenever needed.

In Bwanika the support was received by the head teacher Mrs. Kabaseke Kellen, the deputy Mr.Kayondo, Matron Ms. Stella Birungi and other teachers.

In Canon Apollo Demo the support was received by Mr. Wamara Edison the senior man and the senior lady MS.Kawino Alice plus the children.

Both schools were grateful to CFSU for considering them to be part of the star model school and said that the support came in timely for they normally get in trouble with the girls of P.7 during exam time.

Government to review students’ capitation grant

By  MERCY NALUGO

Posted  Friday, August 22  2014 at  01:00

In Summary

Government pays Shs7,560 but this has reduced to Shs6,800 as per the 2014/2015 ministerial statement proposed.

Parliament- Government is considering reviewing the students’ capitation grant rates with a view of revising them upwards in the next financial year, the State Minister for Investments has said
.Mr Ajedra told MPs yesterday that the government has no money to revise the rates up to the suggested Shs10,000 for Universal Primary Education programme (UPE) but would look for internal budget reallocations or bring to Parliament a supplementary budget to ensure that the Shs7000 is maintained.

The UPE capitation grant is channelled to schools through local governments and it is meant for the provision of extra instructional or scholastic materials.

It also meets costs for co-curricular activities, and school administration activities among other expenses incurred by the schools.

Government pays Shs7,560 but this has reduced to Shs6,800 as per the 2014/2015 ministerial statement proposed. The reduction is, however, as a result of government’s failure to increase the money to match the increasing number of students enrolled per year and inflation.

“The increasing number of students and the inflation has caused the amount to go down since the Ministry of Finance allocations to the (Education) ministry remained the same.

But we have agreed to look into the matter by looking at the internal reallocations or bringing to Parliament a supplementary budget so that it is maintained at Shs7,000,” said State Minister for Primary Education Kamanda Bataringaya.
He said the Shs10,000 shall be implemented in the next financial year.

The Initiative for Social and Economic Rights, a human rights organization, together with Kalungu West MP Joseph Ssewungu Gonzanga early this year sued the government, seeking to stop the proposed reduction of UPE fund, reasoning that reducing the grant would have negative impact on the quality and standards of education in UPE schools.

They said the budget cuts would further worsen the phenomenon of schools asking for development funds from the pupils, which is currently making a significant contribution to the school dropout rates.

This comes at a time when a number of school heads and other stakeholders have been asking government to increase its contribution for government supported students under the free education for all programme.

While the ministry of Education has asked for an extra Shs19 billion to effect the increment in this financial year’s ministerial statement, it is classified by the ministry of Finance under the unfunded priorities with an explanation that there has been an increment in enrollment.

mnalugo@ug.nationmedia.com 

Accessed friday 22nd, August, 2014 from:http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/Government-to-review-students--capitation-grant/-/688334/2426840/-/7puhkc/-/index.html 

A new direction of Teaching- BOG members and Head teachers declare

RIC-NET organized a stakeholders meeting for school management and English heads of department from the project schools and college on 20^th August 2014. it was continuation of activity to Support representatives of BOGs/PTAs to develop and implement institutional policies that support ICT integration and sustainability. The meeting was held at Verina Gardens Kasese town. It was attended by head teachers, Board of governors and PTA members from the project schools and college. 6 were females and 7 males; include 3 heads of schools, members of the Board on the academic committee, heads of English department and the principal Bwera teachers college and some Tutor.

The goal of the meeting was “Raising awareness and training of Head teachers, PTA and BOG to support ICT enhanced learning/The use of monitoring tools in eight institutions” With Objectives as “To raise the awareness of the management of the schools on the use of ICT enhanced learning”. We only targeted the PTA executive committees, the Board of governors and the school management of both secondary schools and the teacher training college.

The project has 3 focus points; a) Skilling the teachers and Tutors with necessary ICT skills to improve the teaching-learning process).Work with the administrators of the schools and PTC to support the teaching process using ICT innovations and c).work with the management committee to develop policies that support the new innovations as mentioned. Thus the end result works in the dimension of teachers (to develop the mind set), learners (to improve the learning ability and concentration level) and the administration of the schools (to easy the process of monitoring and administration).The equipment that were given out are thus meant to aid this dimension in order to achieve the intended i.e. aid the process of teaching and help to develop the mindset of the teachers and the learners.

Members agreed that this is the good way with new direction and tools to be used to support learning in schools. It will move our teachers from rural setup mind of teaching to modern creative teaching. Its more learner centered innovation that will reduce laziness from the teachers and improve the learning abilities. The school management committee pledge to support the school administration in ensuring that condition are in place to support the innovations for the benefit of their learning and excelling in academics.

CENTER COORDINATING TUTORS TRAINED TO ROLL OUT PROJECT IN PRIMARY SCHOOLS IN KABAROLE AND KASESE DISTRICTS

        One of the ways of ensuring sustainability of the C4C project is by training center coordinating tutors so that they can offer continuous teacher development in secondary schools and also train and orient teachers of primary schools in the use of ICTs. In the first phase of the trainings, teachers of secondary schools were trained on the use of ICT for lesson planning and delivering lessons. In the second phase PTC tutors were trained but since center coordinating tutors are in charge of following up implementation of programs in primary schools, it was found necessary to train them so that they could offer continuous teacher development to teachers and also help roll out the C4C programme in primary schools.

The tutors discussed ways how they would help teachers in primary schools use ICTs for teaching and learning. Probable challenges were also discussed and ways how to mitigate them. The achievements so far were brought forward and some of them were; since the training of center coordinating tutors, they have also trained eighteen other teachers (4F, 14M) in the use of ICTs to teach effectively and monitor the usage of ICTs in primary teacher colleges and primary schools. These trainings were carried out at the centers and at least 2 teachers were trained from each of the center schools.

One CCT, Mr. Dumba suggested that since CfSU has been working with an experienced tutor, there should be and endeavor and emphasis to relate the stories to the curriculum and guide the teachers accordingly.

Members identified areas of emphasis where digital stories can be used as teaching vocabulary, tenses, summary, picture interpretation etc.

some of the CCTs in a group discussion during the workshop

Reactions from Participants

The CCTs were very enthusiastic about rolling out the program in primary schools and pledged to offer their support to see the project successfully implemented in the schools.

 Although electricity shortage was noted as one of the challenges that would affect the implementation of the program in primary schools, one of the CCTs, Mr. Sesanga, suggested that as part of their responsibility as tutors and over seers, they should ensure that schools have at least one ICT enhanced lesson in their schemes of work and will gradually improve the frequency of use of ICT for teaching English language as schools adopt  alternative means of acquiring power.

U-reporter Enables RICNET to carry out action research about her sms platform

RIC-NET has been running sms platform since 2010 to send sms alerts, receive feedback on radio programmes, sensitize parents about their roles at schools,  sensitise citizens about their roles in the governance and electoral processes, provide weather information alerts, market information and preventive health alerts.

Every year RIC-NET sends out over 500,000 sms on these different issues to over 3,500 citizens in her database residents of Rwenzori region, therefore the organisation required a clear feedback on effectiveness of these sms in delivering the intended massage.

The organisation sample two District Kasese and Kabarole and send over 1,500 sms to users the following questions:

 1. Is SMS a useful way of informing parents on issues about their children at school? Yes/No, why?

2.       Have you or your parent ever taken action because of the SMS received about education from RIC-NET?

The results of these questions are as follows

836 people responded the first question and 510 responded to the 2^nd question.

Out of 836 people, 497 disagreed with sms as effective channel for information to the parents with mostly giving reasons as most parents are illiterate, expensive to buy phones, not able to engage on phones. But this contradicted the fact the 836 out of 1,500 people had responded to the poll.

Responses based on Gender on 1^st question

Sex	no	other	yes	Total
F	130	4	67	201
M	234	5	164	403
N/A	132	5	95	232
Total	496	14	326	836

It was observed that mostly people from Kasese responds to sms than Kabarole District.

Responses based on sex, category per district

Category	Sex	Kabarole	Kasese	Total
no	F	49	81	130
	M	51	183	234
	N/A	36	96	132
other	F	2	2	54
	M	1	4	5
	N/A	1	4	5
yes	F	27	40	67
	M	49	115	164
	N/A	21	74	95
Grand Total		237	599	836

Response on the 2nd question

 55%  (282 people out of  the 510) who responded to question 2 had taken action because of the our sms. This was positive compared to 33% who regarded sms as effective in sharing education information to parents.

This  can generally imply that, though only 326 people regard sms positive, at least  282 of these take action action.