Kisumu: Over 200 Junior School teachers in Kisumu County have received training on the use of virtual laboratories and digital resources to strengthen the teaching of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) subjects. The initiative, led by the Centre for Mathematics, Science and Technology Education in Africa (CEMASTEA), aims to transform science education in Junior Secondary schools that lack physical laboratories, bridging the gap between theory and practice.
According to Kenya News Agency, CEMASTEA Trainer Ezda Okoth emphasized that Virtual Labs provide students with a wide array of interactive simulations, experiments, and virtual tools designed to mimic real-life laboratory conditions. By leveraging interactive simulations and real-time experiments, the digital laboratories offer students an immersive learning experience, enabling them to visualize complex scientific concepts and conduct experiments in a risk-free environment.
The training, conducted at Arch-Bishop Okoth Ojolla Girls S
chool in Kisumu West Sub-County, is targeted towards Integrated Science and Mathematics Teachers. It equips them with the necessary skills to utilize digital resources to strengthen STEM education. Okoth highlighted that Junior Schools, often housed in Primary Schools, face infrastructural limitations, and CEMASTEA’s virtual labs provide an accessible alternative that ensures practical learning continues uninterrupted.
The scarcity of science laboratories in Junior Schools is a major hindrance to students gaining practical, experiential knowledge of subjects like physics, chemistry, and biology. The virtual labs offer a platform where students can conduct experiments, visualize scientific processes, and explore scientific principles hands-on. This innovation has proven successful in delivering STEM subjects and through proper implementation, it is expected to assist schools facing budget constraints in setting up physical laboratories.
Wilkister Ayoo, a CEMASTEA Integrated Science Trainer, noted that the pr
eset laboratory experiments in the system simplify concept comprehension for learners. However, access to the internet, gadgets, and electricity remains a significant challenge, prompting a call for government support to assist underserved schools. The system is designed for use on both computers and mobile devices, providing flexibility to adapt to the varying infrastructure available in different schools.
Chadwick Ajwang, who led the training at Ahero Girls High School, stated that teachers have been introduced to an array of digital resources that facilitate learning. The training enables teachers to interact with the CEMASTEA E-Learning platform, harness virtual laboratories for effective STEM teaching, and remodel Competency Based Curriculum (CBC) lessons through peer teaching.
Mercy Atieno, a teacher at Sigoti Junior School in Nyakach Sub-County, praised CEMASTEA’s innovation, stating it will significantly contribute to equalizing STEM education across the country. Atieno urged the Ministry of Educati
on to train more teachers, particularly in hardship areas lacking physical facilities, to ensure that learners interested in STEM subjects receive quality education.