A REPORT ON DEVELOPING USER FRIENDLY INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS 28TH MARCH – 11TH APRIL

As non-convectional innovative methods of teaching / learning English is a continuous program for the year, it is important that safe user friendly materials should be produced in plenty. This time round, Bwanika primary school and Rwimi are the ones that passed for the development of user friendly materials. This was so because they were selected to host the bi annual teachers review show casing best practices come June 12^th 2013.

These are some of the instruction materials prepared to show case during the teachers review in June

               

Puppets for teaching speech for p.4          

 Hand-made material reading corner for p.5

 Imaginative composition materials p.6          

                                                                                 

                            

 Hand-made material reading corner p.7 

Manila reading cards for incidental reading for p.5

          

                          

                                                                                  A noun teaching corner for p.4

   

Library corner for p.6                                                                       

                                                                                       

A noun teaching corner for p.4 

                                             

A drum for teaching listening                                       

 

 A shop corner for teaching speech 

CFSU TECHNICAL TRAINING WORKSHOP

Computers for schools Uganda, held a technical training workshop from the 13th, to the 16th of May, 2013 at NOB VIEW HOTEL in Ntinda. The workshop attended by a number of organizations, was opened by the Director; Computers for Schools Uganda, Mr. Joel Baguma.

 

participants attending the training session at Nob View Hotel 

Several Organizations were represented by members of their choice, among, were;

Community Empowerment for Rural Development-CEFORD, Health Need Uganda-HNU, Agency for Cooperation and Research in Development- ACORD.Forum for African Women Educationists.- FAWE, Jinja Catholic Diocese, Health Rights Action Group- HAG,   Uganda National Health Users/Consumers Organization- UNHCO.

The four day conference aimed at imparting technical skills onto the participants. Majority of the participants had a slight background in ICT and other related fields. The workshop was facilitated by Stella Nkesa and Andrew Oboth, both CFSU staff.

 

participants reviewing their action plans with their facilitators 

During the workshop,  a number of areas were covered, among them; information security, video production and management, ICT management, maintenance and many more. The workshop was closed by the Commissioner for education, Mr. Lyazi Nsumba.

 

facilitators and the participants pose for a group photo after the training

BUHINGA P/S HOSTS INTER-SCHOOOLS DEBATE AND DRAMA COMPETITIONS

 

              pupils performing a traditional dance during an interschool competition

Buhinga primary school in Kabarole district, Fort Portal municipality, hosted the first Computers for Schools Uganda organized debate and drama competitions that were organized on 29^th/9/2012 at the school premises. The competition is part of CFSU’s Education Pragmatic Program EPP, supported by Connect for Change, C4C. This program is based on bringing out pupils environment communicative skills, through competition in non-conventional innovative methods of learning.

a pupil of kasiisi proposing the motion

a pupil of kigarama p/s opposing the motion 






The competition was based on the theme, Uganda fifty years of independence, to commemorate the country’s independence. The activities, ranging from the debates to the drama, centered on this theme. All the CFSU project schools met and shared the various experiences acquired during their involvement with the EPP projects.
The District Inspector of Schools, along with a team of 3 coordinating Tutors and the Inspector in charge of special needs children were the guests of honor .Some heads of schools from Rubona, Kiboota, Kabata and Kiibito primary schools were also present to witness the revival of Clubs in the District. A number of pupils engaged in activities that included; a skit with the theme of Uganda’s 50 years of Independence, a western choral song, traditional dance and debate. Each school was represented by one opposer and one proposer from the fourteen participating schools.

 

               a drama episode during an inter-school competition                    

Speaking at the competition, the chief guest of honor, District Inspector of Schools, Mr. Joseph Rujumba hailed teachers and CFSU for their work and dedication to the education sector. The event ended with the awarding of prizes to the best performing schools and individuals. 

 

               Fig 3; Kasiisi p/s won both debate and drama competition awards.

CANON APOLLO GOES MOBILE

 

Figure 1; Mrs. Elizabeth Rwamwenge the deputy principal of Canon Apollo

Fifteen months into the implementation of a project aimed at improving literacy and parent involvement in secondary schools and PTCs, Canon Apollo has adapted the use of bulk sms for administrative purposes especially inviting parents for meetings.

According to Mrs. Elizabeth Rwamwenge the deputy principal of Canon Apollo, most of the parents come from as far as Busheyi, Mbarara and Kabale among other districts. “We would use circulars yet many parents cannot read and on many occasions students would not deliver the circulars”. The college also attempted to use a local radio to reach parents but the coverage of radio is limited and so the message would not be received.

After a meeting with CfSU/RWECO and Text to change schools were tasked to collect relevant telephone numbers so as to use the bulk SMS for communication with different stake holders.

“It is evident that in the past not many parents would turn up for meetings but with the use of bulk sms platform in 2012/2013, the college received the biggest PTA turn up ever and we are beginning to see an improvement in parent involvement at the college”  emphasized  Mrs Rwamwenge.

This is part of the three year Dutch Consortium ( Connect for Change) funded project implemented in western Uganda implemented by CfSU in partnership with RWECO for the period 2012-201

CFSU CARRIES OUT ONSITE SUPPORT IN SCHOOLS AROUND KABAROLE

Between the months of January-June 2013, onsite support was carried out around the schools in the C4C projects. Computers for Schools Uganda mainly supported the teachers in Kabarole district and these included teachers in Kyebambe girls’ school, St. Leos College Kyegobe and Rutete Secondary school.

Some of the teachers during the onsite support meeting.

Using the action plan that was jointly developed after the training, teachers from kyebambe girls, St. Leos College and Ruteete S.S had interactive discussions of what they have so far accomplished with regards to the project and some of the points that were raised were;

·         The setup of the English language resource room; although not up to standard and still requiring some work, St. Leos and Kyebambe were able to set up these English labs with resources like the laptop, projector and the speakers. The schools have worked on these resource rooms making them as safe as possible with burglar proofs and they are in the process of drawing a time table to schedule different classes for the resource room.

·         Development of more interesting and fascinating lessons using Power point and Photo story; teachers of English in these schools mentioned that they are developing more interesting lessons as testified by their students.

·         Computers in the staff room; with the availability of these computers in the staff room, teachers are now able to develop their lessons and type exams freely in their free time without competing with students which was the case previously. It has even helped them practice more, getting a grip on computer usage thus erasing the computer phobia of students being better than them.

·         Heads of schools were met and the project was discussed at length. The head teachers pledged to support the teachers and give them necessary help whenever the need arose.

CFSU PROJECT SCHOOLS CELEBRATE WORLD LITERACY DAY 2012 AT RUBONA

Rubona primary school was the center of activity as Computers for Schools Uganda’s project schools celebrated the annual world literacy day which is commemorated on 8^th, September every year. The day, whose theme was the need for peace and literacy among school going children around the world, started at 9:00am with the singing of the national and Tooro anthems.

Ms. Lydia Kamba, the Education Programmatic Program officer CFSU, explained the years’ theme of literacy and peace, also went ahead to explain and guide pupils and teachers about the rights of the school going children. The event was graced by one of the District Education Officials in charge of the children’s special needs Ms. Harriet Angwena as the guest speaker.

Ms. Harriet Angwena addressing teachers and pupils in Rubona p/s on World Literacy Day 2012

Speaking at the celebrations, the guest speaker emphasized the observation of the rights for a peaceful environment for the girl child and highlighted the importance of having a literate country. She also went on to commend CFSU for the support it has given the district on such an occasion.

CFSU DONATES PROJECTOR TO MBARARA JUNIOR SCHOOL

Mbarara Junior School is one of the good performing day and boarding primary schools in Mbarara district with a population of about 1,412 pupils.

Five years ago, the school’s academic standards had declined so badly and a lot of effort was needed to revive the glory of the school. This saw a new head teacher in place Mr. Mugume Nathan.

 

 Above;the computer lab at Mbarara Junior school

One of the issues he focused on and urged his management and B.O.G to focus on was the use of ICT among other issues considered. At the time, the school had no computers but had a typewriter affecting the efficiency at the school.

On getting in touch with the Computers for Schools Uganda, the school through support from parents, 10 refurbished computers which were housed in the library with support from CFSU and the parents grew to 30 computers which looked not fit in the library.

The parents supported the school to construct a computer lab where the diocese of Ankole/Bishop also contributed 15 computers. Today, the school has over 65 computers with a full time teacher to teach basic skills for classes primary three to primary seven.

Teachers also used the computers for gathering educational materials from the internet and use it for other administrative work. The community has also been benefiting from the facility through internet access.

 

Above;The Manager CFSU Mr. Kamba Joel handing over the Projector to the H/M of Mbarara Junior Mr. Mugume Nathan.

CFSU has also seen the trend of ICT in development at the school and as a result donated a projector to encourage the use of ICT for teaching and learning. CFSU intends to empower the teachers in the use of ICT for education and management so that other primary schools in the region can learn from them.

Joel Kamba (Manager)