TEACHERS, PUPILS AND PARENTS OF KASIISI PRIMARY REVEL IN COMPUTER USAGE DURING THE OPEN DAY

As part of the project to target and promote the use of ICTs in primary schools in Kabarole and Kasese districts, CfSU and RWECO with funding from Connect for change and Edukans have supported primary schools to exhibit the use of ICTs during open days. In June 2015, Kasiisi primary school carried out an open day where they invited parents to witness how children and teachers of Kasiisi use ICT in teaching and learning. During the open day, there was exhibiting of different activities that take place in the school and using ICTs for digital stories was one of the activities. Teachers developed and installed digital stories on the computers that were given by computers for schools Uganda (CfSU). Parents and learners were able to see these stories run and those who had questions were given the opportunity to ask questions. As part of the activities that took place, parents were also tasked to give their views about the usage of computers in the schools and from what most of the parents commented, it was clear and evident that they very much liked the notion of their children using ICTs for learning. Basing on the parents’ comments, the head teacher and ICT teacher of Kasiisi primary were able to use this platform to lobby parents to support the use of computers in the school by contributing a small fee per term to enable the school not only to maintain the already existing computers but also to purchase new gadgets like the projector and more computers. The ICT teachers talked about some of the achievements they had realized so far but also sited some challenges they were facing and asked all stake holders to help the school overcome these challenges.   Learners were also given a chance to explore their ICT skills by demonstrating to the parents what they could do using the computer. Some of the tasks included, typing notes, opening the computer and displaying the digital stories while explaining their meanings to the parents among others. This was very exciting to the parents especially the fact that even the learners could freely interact with the computers and they pledged to fully support the program in the schools by agreeing to pay a given amount to the school to finance the program. 

Pupils of Kasiisi primary school as they enjoy a digital story

The day ended with a vote of thanks from the head of the school to CfSU and the parents. She also promised to be very vigilant in upholding the use of ICTs in the school.

EDUCATION CONSORTIUM SIGN PACT TO ADDRESS SRHR IN UGANDA

Education Local Expertise Center-Uganda ( ELECU), Lango Child and Community Development Federation ( LACCODEF), Uganda Joint Christian Council  (UJCC), TPO-Uganda and Rwenzori Consortium for Civic Competence ( RWECO) members of the Education consortium in Uganda hosted by ELECU have signed a pact to promote Sexual Reproductive Health Rights (SRHR)  and the Edukans Star School Approach model in Uganda with financial support from the ICCO-Cooperation  from January-June 2015. The Education local expertise center that hosts the consortium signed the pact for six months and will be implemented in 36 Primary School from the four region of Uganda including: Central and Eastern Uganda, Rwenzori, Lango, Bunyoro. The project will cost Euros. 50,000/ where each member is allocated Euros. 10,000/

Ms. Connie (Center holding a pen) signing the pact, from left to right - Jimmy, Daniel, Marrion and Fr. John, witness the signing of the pact on 29th April, 2015 at ELECU, Kampala.

consortium members celebrating after the signing of the pact at ELECU office, Kampala

Compiled by

Marion  Nafuna                    (TPO Uganda)
 Jimmy  Odyek                     ( RWECO)
Daniel  Odongo                   (LACCODEF)
Fr. John  Byamukama        ( UJCC)
Connie   Alezuyo               ( ELECU)

TECHNICIANS RECEIVE NEW TIPS ON COMPUTER MAINTENANCE

     To ensure sustainability of the C4C program and a longer life of the ICT equipment in schools, it was found necessary to train and build capacity of ICT lab technicians so that they could carry out preventive maintenance and also do simple repairs in case the need arises. The training took place in March 2015 where lab technicians and selected champion teachers were equipped with the skill to maintain and do simple repairs on their ICT equipment. This training was organized in form of hands on where the participants had the opportunity to do practical work and understand how to maintain their equipment. They covered sessions on why maintenance is needed for their machines, how to maintain, what to maintain, how often to maintain and what is needed to do the maintenance. They had to develop maintenance schedules which would guide then on how often to carry out different activities that are entailed in maintenance. The facilitator also had to take them through a hands on practical on common technical problems that machines can get and how they can trouble shoot and deal with these problems.  Some of them had personal questions that related to their different schools and the facilitator also handled this session in plenary as he answered as they asked.

       A sample maintenance and trouble shooting chart

To sum up the training, different technicians tried out trouble shooting machines to solve different problems. They later thanked CfSU and RWECO for giving them the opportunity to better their skills and also build their capacity. They pledged to continue carrying out maintenance to keep the machines virus free and up to date with all the necessary software. Finally they each received their blower and simple maintenance kit to help them with carrying out maintenance and repairing some technical problems as the need arises.

ICCO COOPERATION PARTNERS IN EAST AFRICA REACH THE UNREACHABLE " LOITA MAASAI"

In the Holy Book we read, "Where there is a way there is a will" and ICCO Cooperation Partners from Uganda, Ethiopia and Kenya ( Host) paid a visit to the Loita Maasia Community in the Rift Valley Province of Kenya. The host organisation was Ilikrin Loita Integral Development Program ( ILIDP) that has her roots in the Loita Maasia home land.

The visiting team was impressed by the work ILIDP had done by reaching the " UNREACHABLE" in their own words. Let us take the journey to the Loita Maasia

Ilkerin Boarding Primary School pupils share a light moment with the visiting team, L-R - Jimmy, Head teacher (in Coat) and Fr. John ( in T-Shirt) are taking off time to interact with the children.

Ilekrine Boarding Primary school is supported by ILIDP and is one of the best performing primary schools in Narok County, Kudos to ILIDP

Jimmy joined pupils in tree planting during the visit on 25th March, 2015

Different colors but one people, the visiting team is ushered in into the Maasai cultural dress as they prepared to hit to the community.

The visiting team don in a Maasai cultural attire

Light moments with the Loita Maasia community in Ilekrine. Children and the visiting team interact but remember the communication was almost with sign language and laughing as always when two people fail to community they often laugh!!!!

Blessed are those who take care of the young ones!!!!

The group was also ushered into the Maasia homestead and women and children jubilation on meeting with their other friends from East Africa and beyond

Maasai home stead

Now let us talk cattle keeping, but dont ask me if i own any cattle.. as part of the Maasai community, i was shown the crawl and possibly next time, i will be shown a cattle for keeps

Cattle crawl in Maasai land

 Now let us go wild life and tourism!!! Our team leader assured that, domestic animals and wild life live together in the Loita Maasai land!

A proud Maasai Giraffe

What we had read in books was what we saw after a hectic day in the community. Loita Maasai communities are proud of their cultural heritage and interaction with the nature. ILIDP has gone ahead to introduce eco-tourism and climate change mitigation measure as demonstrated on the farm field schools we visited.

EAST AFRICA is the home of the Rift Valley, Jimmy and Connie at the Eastern Side of the Rift Valley.

Time to get home and tell a story and lessons learned:

Go and become fishers of men!!!

The ICCO-Cooperation partners mooted an idea of continuing the cooperation even when ICCO Cooperation had indicated that the project had ended, it was yet the beginning of another journey to keep the achievements registered during the project period.

Asante sana

Jimmy B. Odyek
RWECO-UGANDA

I HAVE DISCOVERED THE MISSING LINK IN TEACHING OF ENGLISH.

Mr.Kule Eziron practically agreed to have realizing what was missing in his lesson planning and presentation of English language at Kilembe SS. This was during the training in use of ICT in lesson development and English methodology in teaching and learning of English at secondary schools level. The training was organized by RIC-NET a member of Rwenzori Consortium for Civic Competence(RWECO)    implementing the  project “innovative teaching and learning of English using ICT tools” .

The four day training was held from 7^th to 10^th February 2015 with the objective as “To improve the teachers of English’ ability in the use of ICT in lesson planning, development and presentation”. The participants were the English heads of department and Teachers and ICT teachers from St Charles SS, Kilembe SS, St Thereza Girls and Bwera PTC. The training content included among others, the use of local photos (Pstory), videos (CINEDUC).

Mr. Kule observed the missing links were the use of locally captured photo, use sound and videos in driving his lesson and the new innovative methodology of using the “Umbrella” in teaching tenses. He mentioned that the three items will shift the lesson from teacher centers to learner centered. “I have also realized there are millions of teaching materials online (internet) which require the teacher to sort what suits his/her lesson” these innovations will improve my lesson presentation in comprehension, composition writing and literature in English.

Ms Lillian from St Leo’s college shared her experience of how the “Umbrella” had made it possible for her learners to grasp the tense which cover a great part in the English examination at the final stage of education.  Some actions were reached to roll out these innovations in schools which shall be handled through mentorship.

WE ARE THE CHANGE AGENTS.

Teachers of English in Kasese agreed that “change begins with us”. This was during the reflection on the use of ICT in teaching and learning in secondary schools. The reflection was organized by Rwenzori Information Centers Network (RIC-NET) in conjunction with Connect for Change (C4C) and Rwenzori Consortium for Civic Competence (RWECO) on the implementation of project “innovative teaching and learning English using ICT tools” by retooling teachers and Tutors of English in innovative teaching and learning using ICT.

The meeting was held on the 30^th January 2015 with the objective as “To identify areas of progress and develop strategies that can improve the teaching-learning of English” in the project schools. The participants were the English heads of department and Teachers from St Charles SS, Kilembe SS, St Thereza Girls and Bwera PTC as direct implementers of the innovations in the school. 18 teachers (6 female and 12 males) and 3 staff participated in the focus group meeting. The reflection was also attended by 1 senior English teacher Ms from St. Leos College- Ms. Lillian Kababgambe who had used the innovation methods for long time.

It was observed that there is great progress in using ICT in teaching-learning process especially it has simplified work, increased interaction among the teachers in the department and improved local innovation in lesson development and delivery. In St.Thereza for example “the new innovations have got an impact on composition writing among the learners, teachers have integrated ICT in their daily activity and the innovation have been taken up by other departments like French and Geography”. In Kilembe secondary, “teaching using ICT has specifically improved team work among the teachers which has had an impact in lesson delivery and improved results. It has improved creative learning among the learners in composition writing; thus it’s easy to test the four skills”. Above all students have impressed ICT to do research. It has enhanced the school management to procure software’s for management to reduce costs and improve efficiency.

However the constant transfers of teachers affect the continuity and reduce the chance to measure the impact since new teachers are introduced and adapt to the innovation every year. The teachers need more training in online sourcing for teaching materials and how they can integrate them in the teaching syllabus.

Ms Lillian shared her experience of how using ICT in teaching made her work simpler and she was able to measure the students’ progress easily. She said that ICT innovation makes lesson presentation simple; teacher is able to learn the abilities of the learners very easily, improves class interaction and control and tickles the learning’s minds to the reality. Thus a teacher has to be more practical in lesson development.

A number of action points were agreed upon to form the next step of actions to handle the challenges  realized.RIC-NET/RWECO and the heads of department on behalf of the schools agreed to take the challenges ahead with more hands on trainings and mentorship conducted to cater for school and individual challenges.