Sciences a must
Aug 03, 2005
The Government has made compulsory the teaching of science subjects in secondary school starting next year.
By Isaac Kalembe
The Government has made compulsory the teaching of science subjects in secondary school starting next year.
“With effect from 2006, all students following a formal secondary school setting shall register for Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics and physics for O’level examinations,†the Ministry of Education Permanent Secretary, Francis Lubanga, said.
He said this at the signing of the Record of Discussion (DoS) for the Secondary School Science and mathematics Teachers (SESEMAT) project at the ministry headquarters yesterday.
Through the Japan International cooperation Agency (JICA), Japan extended $1.5m (sh2.6b) to Uganda for a three-year SESEMAT pilot project that aims at improving the teaching abilities of sciences in secondary schools.
“We should dispel the false notion that sciences are difficult. As a country, we cannot prosper and join the competitive world if we relegate the teaching of sciences to second position. We need to produce interventions that will enable the successful teaching of the subjects,†Lubanga said.
He said 54 laboratories would be opened in various schools by December as part of the government intervention to boost science teaching.
The project will be experimented in Masaka and Tororo districts, targeting about 600 teachers of science and mathematics. It will also target close to 200 secondary school administrators and some 20 lecturers and 20 tutors of national Teacher Colleges and Polytechnic in the pilot districts.
Uganda will provide sh800 in counter funding.
The Japanese contribution will also involve setting up of a national training centre at Kololo Secondary School and district training centres at Bukulula and Masaka schools and Bukedi College Kachonga and Nagongera NTC.
The Government has made compulsory the teaching of science subjects in secondary school starting next year.
“With effect from 2006, all students following a formal secondary school setting shall register for Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics and physics for O’level examinations,†the Ministry of Education Permanent Secretary, Francis Lubanga, said.
He said this at the signing of the Record of Discussion (DoS) for the Secondary School Science and mathematics Teachers (SESEMAT) project at the ministry headquarters yesterday.
Through the Japan International cooperation Agency (JICA), Japan extended $1.5m (sh2.6b) to Uganda for a three-year SESEMAT pilot project that aims at improving the teaching abilities of sciences in secondary schools.
“We should dispel the false notion that sciences are difficult. As a country, we cannot prosper and join the competitive world if we relegate the teaching of sciences to second position. We need to produce interventions that will enable the successful teaching of the subjects,†Lubanga said.
He said 54 laboratories would be opened in various schools by December as part of the government intervention to boost science teaching.
The project will be experimented in Masaka and Tororo districts, targeting about 600 teachers of science and mathematics. It will also target close to 200 secondary school administrators and some 20 lecturers and 20 tutors of national Teacher Colleges and Polytechnic in the pilot districts.
Uganda will provide sh800 in counter funding.
The Japanese contribution will also involve setting up of a national training centre at Kololo Secondary School and district training centres at Bukulula and Masaka schools and Bukedi College Kachonga and Nagongera NTC.