Teach children hands on skills- Experts

SKILLING

Most schools today are focusing mostly on teaching children how to pass exams so that they excel in final exams, but experts say its time teachers go back to the drawing board and teach hands-on skills as well as other skills.

Parents have come up to condemn the way their children are taught as focusing on only schoolwork is killing the hands-on skills that children have.

Agnes Nyakato, a parent and mother of three said that many times children are given handwritten homework but she has never seen her child with hands-on work.

She says it's time to focus on all learning areas so that children receive complete skills with all areas tackled.

Speaking during the exhibition of hands-on skills that children of Rehoboth Junior School had organized, she encouraged teachers to pay attention to teaching hands-on skills even more.

"Such skills are relevant to a child's life and here some children's talents can be discovered. Kids are passionate about such skills to so let's help them grow their hands-on skills, "she advised.

Children experts agree to saying hands-on skills are part of the curriculum an aspect that teachers are ignoring.

Natasha Kibalama making a necklace

Ronald Balisanyuka the headteacher Rehoboth Junior school said hands-on skills should be incorporated with other skills like gardening, farming so that children have a broader view about life and how different things are made.

"Teach them how to do farming, how to weave baskets, how to make necklaces and how to sew a cloth so that they have life skills, "said Balisanyuka.

Lydia Nyesigomwe the Director Parenting Uganda says parents have a role to play in this as hands-on skills training should start right from home.

She urges parents to spare time for their children and engage them in hands-on activity while at home. This makes them get introduced to the idea and when it's taught at school, the child loves it more and gets to understand it even better.