RSC-IOP Science Teachers Training

17 - 21 August 2009
Bukinda, Kabale District, Uganda
28 - 30 August 2009
Kigali, Rwanda

An ambitious joint RSC/IOP training event took place at Bukinda, Kabale, in SW Uganda from 17 - 21 August as well as in Kigali, Rwanda from 28 - 30 August with cooperation between scientists from Uganda, Rwanda and England.  

This one week residential event was coordinated by RSC members Jean Johnson and Pat Johnson (no relation) on their 10th and 4th visits, respectively, to Uganda.  

They worked with Byamugisha Alex, a young teacher from Bukinda who recently spent 3 months at St Dominic’s College, Harrow, funded by an RSC Developing World scholarship.

Thirty school chemistry teachers and thirty physicists from Uganda will participate, along with two Rwandan chemists, to explore the relevance of these scientific disciplines for their country. 

Chemists gained valuable practical experience, something they had little opportunity to do during their teacher training, with equipment and training funded by PACN.

Moreover, a physics course, taught by physicists from nearby Kigali, capital of Rwanda, was jointly funded by the Institute of Physics (IOP) and the RSC. Teachers  also received a pack of equipment as part of their training.

There were joint sessions on good practice in teaching and learning in science and on health and safety and basic first aid in the laboratory. 

The UK and Uganda team headed to Rwanda to give a chemistry course for Rwandan teachers from 28 - 30 August 2009.