CFSU AND RWECO MEET TO REVIEW PROJECTS

Following the completion of phase one of the C4C and EPP projects and the disbursement of funds for the second phase, the implementing organizations (RWECO and CFSU) on 20^{th and} 21^st May 2013 met to make an over view of the previous phase and to also plan for the new phase. The review meeting was held at Kalya Courts in Fort portal where ten staff (4 females & 6males) from both organizations participated in this meeting.

The purpose of the meeting was to reflect on the interventions, achievements and gaps of the first phase and to also review the work plan for 2013. Particular focus was made on the uncompleted activities of 2012 with strategies on how they can be addressed in this second phase. The meeting also aimed at identifying entry points for this new phase of the projects.

Emerging issues & Observations

Ø  Staff should work with Head teachers to introduce the project to the BODs of schools during their routine meetings; subcommittee and PTA meetings. CFSU and RWECO could contribute towards the logistics for the meetings.

Ø  CFSU’s entry point should be through head teachers; as long as they are positive they will own the project and it will succeed. Interface meetings with the head teachers and the committees should be organized.

Ø  The project should consider buying cameras for schools to improve on the documentation of the project and storytelling component in the project. And the delivery of these can be used to arrange meetings with the target persons at the schools.

Ø  About the adoption of ICT enabled teaching-learning methods of English language it was learnt that this wasn’t so successful in the schools that didn’t get equipment like Kilembe SS; this limitation was attached to non availability of   ICT equipment. Schools like St. Leos College have been very successful since they received the necessary ICT gadgets.

Ø  Clear memorandums of understanding with the schools stating what their responsibilities would be with regards to the handling of ICT equipment were to be drawn by CfSU and RWECO and signed by both parties.

Ø  On-line monitoring tools should be developed to replace the manual tools. Available tools should be looked at, customized and sent to IICD for improvement and approval.

Ø  A template for capturing stakeholders’ contact numbers needs to be redeveloped and utilized. This will help to sensitize, inform, and or mobilize them for school events. This initiative is reported to be working well in St. Leos College. Apparently there is improved parents turn up for meetings following the bulk sms messages sent to them through the platform.

Ø  There is still need to involve the media more in CfSU and RWECO work, especially upcoming meetings and handover of equipment. Involvement could be in form of a press release or an article in the print media on a key activity. Members agreed that since there is no budget line for media, this should be incorporated within activities.

Ø  A project blog should be developed on which members can share implemented activities. This will allow for a wider sharing and easier tracking of the project results. A blog with a URL; somaschools.blogspot.com. Other social media accounts; face book and twitter were to be created soon by Stella Nekesa, the ICT project officer.

Ø  Need for a deliberate effort to do short videos for sharing on you tube. These can be good platforms to use in resource mobilization, reporting and evidence based advocacy.

KEY OUT PUTS

Ø  Activity plans and action plans were drawn and agreed upon.

Ø  A project blog was developed and deployed.

Ø  Budgets were revised and adjusted to fit with on the changing priorities of the project activities.

Ø  Entry points and key persons necessary to make the project a success were identified and strategies on how to engage them agreed upon.

Ø  Proper understanding of the basic financial and narrative requirements/guidelines was created amongst the members.

TEACHERS APPLAUD ICT INNOVATIONS IN TEACHING AND LEARNING.

Charles Kaliba from RIC-NET training Teachers

Teachers from Kasese District have appreciated the new innovations in the teaching process using ICT tools. This was revealed during the two day refresher training that was held on 4^th and 5^th July 2013 at Kasese E-society Center Education Department of Kasese District Headquarters. The training was organized by Rwenzori Information centers Network [RIC-NET]. The ICT innovations in the teaching-learning of English have come as a plight to answer the low literacy level in schools where English is the key to the understanding of other subjects in secondary schools.

Mr. Felix from St. Theresa Girls SS presenting his sample lesson

According to Mr. Felix Kule the head of English Department St.Thereza Girls Secondary School, he shared that “the potential for integrating speaking and listening, reading and writing has been enhanced by use of interactive multimedia resources. Most importantly, ICT engages pupils to work actively on language both when reading and writing and has the potential to highlight the way in which meaning is constructed”. The innovations have helped to engage the learners effectively and reduce boredom even when the lesson is after lunch where people tend to doze.

According to Ms Hellen Mbambu the teacher of St.Charles Vocation Secondary School Kasanga, she mentioned that “the new innovations have helped me to be more organized in her presentation of the lesson and lesson materials. The innovation require more time in research and reading which is important in increasing the knowledge of the subject matter”. Teachers have been able to store properly their teaching content for future reference for other teachers who shall come after.

According to Ms.Edna Kunahimbire of Kilembe Secondary, she mentioned that an ICT oriented lesson has; “ICT caters for Different learning Styles of learners, it increases the attention span of learners, and ICT offers flexibility of anywhere anytime learning”.

Teachers Sharing a light moment

In the closing remarks, the lead trainer Mr. Charles and Executive Director RIC-NET Mr. John Silco; the two asked the teachers to continue being creative and take the innovations in good faith in lesson preparation and presentation. Mr.Silco added that photo stories and Cineduc can easily be incorporated in other teaching practices and bring the learner to comprehend more the content of the lesson. Even the stubborn learners can easily be catered properly.

SCHOOLS RECEIVE POSTERS ADVOCATING FOR ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING AND LEARNING IN KABAROLE

Fifteen posters advocating for English language /teaching/learning were made and distributed to 15 schools in Kabarole

The poster has three logos ICCD representing our partners, computers for schools and RWECO as implementers of EPP programs in the Rwenzori region and a message on improving literacy and numeracy levels through mastery of English Language.

Deputy Head teacher Haibale primary school receives a poster advocating for English language mastery from CFSU

  

Excited teachers of Kigarama Primary school receive the poster advocating for English Language proficiency 

The presence of the posters in the compound act as a multi-purpose:

1.      Pupils get incidental reading

2.      The message written on the poster acts as a reminder whenever it is read.

3.   The poster serve as a visibility for the community to get to know of the presence of the NGO and its objectives

DISTRIBUTION OF SCHOLASTIC MATERIALS FROM EDUKANS FOUNDATION

RWECO is a civic watch dog that enhances civic competence to demand for voice, accountability in governance and service delivery.RWECO is implementing various projects which include a project supporting the improvement of Eduction literacy supported by Edukans foundation which  has taken up the initiative to help  avail the organisation with various gift boxes wrapped up for the pupils who are to receive the donation to help the children have a good study environment at school.

P.4 Class at Mulongithi P School before receiving the child to child gifts from the Edukans Foundations

P.4 Class at Mulongithi P School after receiving the child to child gifts from the Edukans Foundations

 Members of RWECO visited one of the selected institutions(i.e. Mulongothi Primary School which is among the few selected schools )  to be given the scholastic materials donated to them by Edukans to primary four pupils at Mulongoti Primary School.

Children receiving the child to child gifts

The class teacher of Primary four class,the headmaster ,few other teachers of various subjects and members of RWECO helped distribute  gift boxes to the respective pupils who received the items(ie books,pens pencils,playing items like dolls;balls;skipping ropes,tooth paste,shower gel, T-shirts,caps etc). The pupils received the gift boxes and opened the gifts with tears of joy and admiration upon seeing what were wrapped. However  the pupils due to language barrier being in the transition class (P.4) did not understand English thus few members of RWECO and the headmaster of the school had to translate into the native language(Lhukonzo taught from P.1-P.3) so that they would understand what had  been said to them,this is one of the reasons why the project was implemented to help educate the children  learn English and create a good healthy study environment in school.

Fortunately the day was a success with distribution of the gift boxes.Many thanks to Edukans foundation who donated the items, team members of RWECO and teachers of the schools upon helping out distribute the gift boxes to the respective pupils in Primary Four,Mulongothi Primary school.

                                                                                                                    

WRITTEN BY: ADRINE MUHINDO

TRAINEE

"A CHILD TO CHILD GIFT" EDUKANS

RWECO has received Items from EDUKANS

Intern Joachim making a count of what is being delivered...

 

 

This was at RWECO offices in Kasese Municipality, Kasese District and under the Programme of EPP.
EPP impresses school needs education by encouraging all pupils to appreciate their nature and feel free schools which has enabled them to learn more skills like tailoring and knitting, making baskets...

Accountant Receiving some of the boxes

Boxes being offloaded from the truck after arriving from Kampala

Received from EDUKANS, Empowerment by Education

By Gilbert Masereka

ICT EQUIPMENTS FOR ENGLISH TEACHING IN SCHOOLS

By ,.,Charles kaliba.
 

ED RIC-NET John Silco presenting the ICT platform www.eduvoice.ug

RIC-NET and RWECO handed over more ICT tools and equipments to aid Teachers in the teaching-learning process to 3 secondary schools and one Primary teachers college. This is under the project “innovative methods of effective teaching of English in secondary schools”. The handover ceremony was held on the 28^th June 2013 at VIRINA gardens in Kasese municipality Kasese District and was officiated by the District Education Officer, Kasese District local Government. Present were teachers and staff from St Charles SS Kasanga, St Thereza Girls SS Nsenyi, Kilembe SS and Bwera Primary Teachers College

In his opening remarks the Coordinator RWECO Mr. Jimmy Odyek mentioned that, this day the district is celebrating success as we deliver equipments to beneficiary Schools. 

The first time was when handing over laptops to Secondary Schools and this time others equipments are going to be handed to schools and the Primary Teacher College. RWECO as a consortium of 4 NGO’s aims at emphasizing social accountability in service delivery, promoting human rights and improvement of livelihoods in the Rwenzori region and Uganda and the education sector is part of the promotion of livelihood. Equipments received were Laptop, Two desk tops, Generator, Projector, Projector Screen, Speakers for sound projection, a modern for internet accessed to be used for online research and Memory Stick for storage of important information.

ICT equipment to be delivered

The Executive Director RIC-NET Mr. John Silco noted that, the project’s focus is on”Improving effective teaching-learning processes through ICT enabled innovative methods.” The project is supported by Connect for Change and IICD.The Goal is to Contribute to Improved performance of students through effective teaching-learning processes by adoption of ICT enabled innovative methods with the major objective as “To build the capacity of English Language Teachers/tutors in the project”.

Head Teacher St. Theresa Gilrs SSS receiving ICT equipment from DEO Kasese

The achievements so far registered include; Twenty six teachers of English language from Secondary Schools and Fifteen tutors have been trained in innovative ICT enabled methods of teaching, of English have, four schools have received ICT equipment and four more expect to get today. Teachers have developed ICT enabled lessons and have delivered these lessons in class, onsite teacher training by RIC-NET staff have been conduct regularly to re-tool the teachers in these ICT innovations,

The Coordinator RWECO, Mr. Jimmy B.O handing over a Computer to the Kasese DEO, Mr. George Mainja

As a Way forward to the sustainability of the project and the above achievements, RIC-NET and RWECO will continue to Lobby at both school and local government level to support the teaching learning process,Continued support to the teachers; both technical and pedagogical,Refresher trainings and follow up to school and the teacher individually, monitor the use of these innovations in schools and continuous Maintenance of ICT equipment and continue developing the skills on teachers in the secondary schools and PTC in ICT innovations.

Director of Studies of Bwera PTC receiving ICT equipments from DEO Kasese

In his closing remarks DEO Mr. George Mainja thanked RIC-NET and RWECO for continued support to the education in the district. “I am proud personally for these two organizations for being very close to the people and equally important in the social transformation of the community through improving education and social accountability” he thanked the donors for extending their hand to Uganda and the Rwenzori region in particular. There are 20 government aided schools but only 3 are lucky to be the one piloting this project, there 2 colleges but only one is lucky, more than 100 primary schools but only 15 are too lucky. It’s thus the role of the teachers and the Head teachers of these schools to add value to the teaching process using the available technology. 

D/Head Teacher Kilembe SSS receiving ICT equipments from DEO Kasese

He challenged the teaches to adopt to new technologies as Education Management Information System[EMIS],Geographical Information System reporting [GISR] and Education Management Systems [EMS] for data collection, storage and filling in additions to the one already in place of using ICT in the teaching process. 

English is the core of all subjects and I thank these two organizations to have sampled this as the core of improving the learning process in our schools. Let us take these innovations with a positive mind and hand to add values to ourselves as teaches, gain the skills.

D/Head Teacher St.  Charles Voc Sec Sch receiving ICT equipments from DEO Kasese