Teaching Science For Vision 2030

[MOON Ki]

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http://www.standardmedia.co.ke/article/2000138779/kcse-candidates-see-science-practical-apparatus-hours-to-exams

 

[veritas]

They should substitute philosophy for science. What working scientist uses test tubes?

Better yet get centrifuge tubes and updated lab equipment. Cheaper, ergonomic and relevant.

[Brynn]

Heh

http://www.standardmedia.co.ke/article/2000138779/kcse-candidates-see-science-practical-apparatus-hours-to-exams

 

Hehehe, Moonki you are bad news ...wheeee

[Kim Jong-Un's Pajama Pants]

http://www.standardmedia.co.ke/article/2000138779/kcse-candidates-see-science-practical-apparatus-hours-to-exams

 

They leased the equipment from a lab-technician for Ksh 70,000.  No mention is made of which lab he works for.  Or if he is permitted to lease out the equipment.  It's a jungle out there.

The school has no single laboratory room and the handful equipments were leased from a private lab technician for sh70, 000, an amount the school Principal Charles Chemoiwa says they have not even completed paying for.

[veritas]

I should sell science equipment in Kenya. For 70000/- they could purchase 100 test tube, 10 bunsen burners, 20 test tube racks. My gosh, they were thoroughly ripped off. If anyone has the school's contact details give them to me.

[Brynn]

I should sell science equipment in Kenya. For 70000/- they could purchase 100 test tube, 10 bunsen burners, 20 test tube racks. My gosh, they were thoroughly ripped off. If anyone has the school's contact details give them to me.

Maybe that rabtop project needs to be put on pause. We need some burettes even if they are made in China.

[veritas]

Tell me about it. Test tubes are rotting in some schools here. .

[Omollo]

The Richest Senator in Kenya - Gideon Moi - comes a grenade throw away from this school.

[TheDayTheDollarDies]

Those things are not necessary. Let's give them laptops. They'll be coders

[RV Pundit]

I think the bigger issue is still access..we have about 800K kids in primary schools sitting for KCPE and by the time they do KCSE..the number is down to 400k..so about half of them have either dropped out or gone to Youth polythenics.

So we need to focus on building thousand more of these kind of low cost secondary schools without equipment..than worrying about equipping them.

Baringo and many arid areas are in need of such schools....small harambee day-schools where poor kids can afford to get secondary education.

We have 25-30K primary schools..and 5-10k secondary schools...so there is big mismatch...personally i would convert every primary school into secondary schools..

Once we are okay with Access/Quantity..we can begin to worry about the quality of education..including school equipment.

[Omollo]

If you speak to Ruto, tell him to form a task force to look in to expanding the capacity of the existing schools. Many of these are capable of adding up to double their existing capacity. The problem will of course be management where the current structure would collapse. Kapsabet Boys can handle 20 streams of 40 boys  and a maximum of 4000 boys without much needed.

It doesn't need to happen at once but over a period.

Some of the schools can merge - even if physically apart. This will reduce the costs.  However I think most of this can only happen under the auspices of devolution.

[MOON Ki]

Meanwhile .... away from the "theoretical practice" of Konza City and Vision 2030 science, exam candidates elsewhere run into some real & serious practicals:

http://www.standardmedia.co.ke/thecounties/article/2000138894/bandits-burn-down-vehicle-kcse-exam-papers-in-turkana

[Georgesoros]

Wouldnt it make sense to travel to the closest school that has the eqpmt and do lab there? Am sure it wont cost that much.
Also, are there standards to be met before a school is granted lab? I remember that used to be the case when I did my chem.
Alternatively there are youtube videos that show all this.

[MOON Ki]

Wouldnt it make sense to travel to the closest school that has the eqpmt and do lab there? Am sure it wont cost that much.
Also, are there standards to be met before a school is granted lab? I remember that used to be the case when I did my chem.
Alternatively there are youtube videos that show all this.

To my mind, there's a more immediate question here: have the kids not been set up for failure right from the git-go?    It's like reading a book on how to drive and then it turns out that the first time you sit behind a steering wheel is also your driving test.

There is money around to do what needs to be done in schools, but it would require that some people take a short break from "eating".   That won't happen soon.   So either the government can insist that only those schools that are properly equipped be allowed to offer certain subjects or matters can be arranged so that these "practicals" are no part of examinations.

[George Lamming]

Hi Mami Scientist.....better still, make it all virtual. My Boy has learned to play Piano, Sax, XBOX, and other science Lab projects by going virtual first. This is no excuse. You can fly a 787 virtual before you see the front of the plane.

quote author=veritas link=topic=1074.msg6955#msg6955 date=1413727930]
They should substitute philosophy for science. What working scientist uses test tubes?

Better yet get centrifuge tubes and updated lab equipment. Cheaper, ergonomic and relevant.


[/quote]

[George Lamming]

Brynn: NO! That Raptop project is the light. Give those kids access to information, and the rest is out of our hands. Brynn, you a science person, know that what a science pupil need is access to knowledge. Moor that 1000 bursen burners, a laptop would give access to moor than a million ideas. Can my MIT Friend challenge me on this? We need to go a direction that is scalable and accessible. Internet/Laptop is the direction. I stand corrected.

I should sell science equipment in Kenya. For 70000/- they could purchase 100 test tube, 10 bunsen burners, 20 test tube racks. My gosh, they were thoroughly ripped off. If anyone has the school's contact details give them to me.

Maybe that rabtop project needs to be put on pause. We need some burettes even if they are made in China.

[Ole Ole]

you are damn right. gi've em laptop watch youtube clips and mambo kwisha.........lol

Hi Mami Scientist.....better still, make it all virtual. My Boy has learned to play Piano, Sax, XBOX, and other science Lab projects by going virtual first. This is no excuse. You can fly a 787 virtual before you see the front of the plane.

quote author=veritas link=topic=1074.msg6955#msg6955 date=1413727930]
They should substitute philosophy for science. What working scientist uses test tubes?

Better yet get centrifuge tubes and updated lab equipment. Cheaper, ergonomic and relevant.

[/quote]

[veritas]

I suppose the laptop thing makes sense in that context. . I don't know many working scientists who actually mix stuff physically.. it's all automated these days.. do you really want to mix potent stuff ? Just work it out virtually..