Guidelines for science subjects launched
THE Ministry of Education and Sports has developed a new secondary school teaching guideline for mathematics and science subjects.
By RONALD KALYANGO
THE Ministry of Education and Sports has developed a new secondary school teaching guideline for mathematics and science subjects.
The education minister, Namirembe Bitamazire, said the new guidelines are designed to improve teachers’ professional skills, knowledge and attitudes in the teaching of these subjects.
“With the new guidelines, teachers will be given the opportunity to share their experiences of good classroom practices and take stock of the gains made so far,†she said in a speech read by John Agaba, the commissioner for secondary schools, at the launch of the guidelines recently.
“We expect that with the improved quality of teachers, performance in science and mathematics of learners should consequently improve,†said Bitamazire.
She noted that the number of candidates who passed science and mathematics has been increasing steadily for the last five years.
According to statistics, the number of students who passed biology increased from 102,356 in 2005 to 128,340 in 2010. Similarly, there was a 52% increment in mathematics, 107% increment in physics and 176% in chemistry.
Bitamazire also commended the four teachers who developed the guidelines for each subject. The guidelines, a 62-page book, were commissioned by the Secondary Science and Mathematics Teacher’s programme, which is a ministry of education inititiative.
The initiative aims at improving the teaching of mathematics and science, with support from the Japanese government’s Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
In addition, it offers a simpler approach to teaching biology, chemistry, mathematics and physics.
The book is the second edition, following an earlier one produced in 2006. The first edition focused on the factors responsible for poor performance in science and mathematics at O’level.
It also introduced effective approaches in the teaching and learning of science and mathematics from teacher-centered to learner-centered teaching.
The new guidelines have been tested at Kololo SSS.
Teachers from Mukono, Wakiso, Kampala, Mpigi, Luweero, Gulu, Arua, Moyo and Mubende have also been trained in using the guidelines in a week-long training.
The selected teachers are expected to train their counterparts to adopt the developed guidelines.
Agaba noted that through the Secondary Science and Mathematics Teacher’s Programme, 522 science and mathematics teachers were trained at three centres in Masaka, Tororo and Butaleja when the programme started in 2005. Thirty more centres have since been established throughout the country.
Tetsuo Seki, the chief representative of JICA, noted that all secondary schools will get copies of the second edition of the teaching guidelines.
THE Ministry of Education and Sports has developed a new secondary school teaching guideline for mathematics and science subjects.
The education minister, Namirembe Bitamazire, said the new guidelines are designed to improve teachers’ professional skills, knowledge and attitudes in the teaching of these subjects.
“With the new guidelines, teachers will be given the opportunity to share their experiences of good classroom practices and take stock of the gains made so far,†she said in a speech read by John Agaba, the commissioner for secondary schools, at the launch of the guidelines recently.
“We expect that with the improved quality of teachers, performance in science and mathematics of learners should consequently improve,†said Bitamazire.
She noted that the number of candidates who passed science and mathematics has been increasing steadily for the last five years.
According to statistics, the number of students who passed biology increased from 102,356 in 2005 to 128,340 in 2010. Similarly, there was a 52% increment in mathematics, 107% increment in physics and 176% in chemistry.
Bitamazire also commended the four teachers who developed the guidelines for each subject. The guidelines, a 62-page book, were commissioned by the Secondary Science and Mathematics Teacher’s programme, which is a ministry of education inititiative.
The initiative aims at improving the teaching of mathematics and science, with support from the Japanese government’s Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
In addition, it offers a simpler approach to teaching biology, chemistry, mathematics and physics.
The book is the second edition, following an earlier one produced in 2006. The first edition focused on the factors responsible for poor performance in science and mathematics at O’level.
It also introduced effective approaches in the teaching and learning of science and mathematics from teacher-centered to learner-centered teaching.
The new guidelines have been tested at Kololo SSS.
Teachers from Mukono, Wakiso, Kampala, Mpigi, Luweero, Gulu, Arua, Moyo and Mubende have also been trained in using the guidelines in a week-long training.
The selected teachers are expected to train their counterparts to adopt the developed guidelines.
Agaba noted that through the Secondary Science and Mathematics Teacher’s Programme, 522 science and mathematics teachers were trained at three centres in Masaka, Tororo and Butaleja when the programme started in 2005. Thirty more centres have since been established throughout the country.
Tetsuo Seki, the chief representative of JICA, noted that all secondary schools will get copies of the second edition of the teaching guidelines.