By Meshack Nyambane
From a survey conducted in 2021 by a team of researchers from Kibabii University, it was observed that mathematics teachers from secondary schools have been facing difficulties in developing appropriate teaching and learning activities that enable learners to develop intended competences as per expected educational outcomes. Ultimately, this affected performance in developing expected knowledge, attitudes and skills to their learners.
According to the researchers led by the Principal Investigator Prof. Julius Kiprop Maiyo, SITT is a practice-based teacher mentorship and support approach that involves training mentor teachers to coach and mentor fellow teachers through peer learning exchange, model lessons and team teaching, with an objective of strengthening capacity of teachers by generating and strengthening the use of knowledge on effective teacher mentorship and support models.
As part of the strategies geared towards reversing this trend, Kibabii University mounted a five-day in-service teachers’ workshop at Farm View Hotel in Busia, Kenya between 13th – 17th June, 2022 to train tutors from various Diploma Teacher Colleges in Western Kenya. The tutors will later provide mentorship and support to mathematics teachers to be drawn from various secondary schools in Busia, Bungoma and Kakamega Counties.
The workshop was part of a pilot research project on an approach to school-based in-service teacher training at secondary schools in Tanzania, Kenya and Zambia, namely the “Strengthening In-service Teacher Mentorship and Support (SIIT)” with specific focus on teachers of mathematics. It is funded by the International Development Research Center (IDRC) and Global Partnership for Education (GPE) and implemented by the Dar es Salaam University College of Education in collaboration with Kibabii University, University of Zambia and HELVETAS, a Swiss Non-Governmental Organization based in Tanzania.
The workshop was officially opened by the Vice Chancellor,
Kibabii University, Prof. Isaac Ipara Odeo.
In his keynote address, Prof. Ipara underscored the importance of embracing innovation in teaching and learning. With the introduction of Competence Based Curriculum (CBC) in Kenya, the Government of Kenya has laid structures to ensure full implementation. The curriculum emphasizes on learner outcomes rather than basic knowledge, is learner-centered and adaptive to the changing needs of students, teachers, and society. This, according to Prof. Ipara shall borrow a lot from the outcomes of the SIIT workshop.
“This workshop could not have come at a better time. The program is focused at rejuvenating and reengineering teachers to ensure a turnaround in the performance of mathematics and sciences. We must therefore realign our teaching methodologies to be applicable and enjoyable to the learners,” Prof. Ipara said.
The event was also attended by the Deputy County Assurance and Standards Officer Busia County Ms. Knight Tundo Momanyi and the Deputy Director, Teachers Service Commission Dr. Moses Obiayo.
Ms. Momanyi highlighted the challenges facing the teaching profession, mentioning peer pressure, experience syndrome and resistance to change as the main drawbacks to efforts laid by stakeholders in infusing innovation in the revised curricular.
Closure of the Busia Workshop
As scheduled, the weeklong Workshop came to a successful end on Friday 17th June, 2022. By close of business, the exercise had registered over 20 tutors from Kibabii Diploma College, Lugari Diploma College, Nabongo TTC, Malava TTC, Jerusa TTC, Kibabii “B” and Busia Training College. In this project, the team of experts developed a Facilitation Guide as part of the intervention for helping mathematics teachers on updating their teaching content, attitudes and pedagogical skills in order to improve their work to be friendly and lovely to the learners. The guide contains some identified geometrical topics in mathematics that seem to be challenging for learners. As part of the training, the tutors were involved in rigorous practical sessions, demonstration of models and simulations.
It was officially closed by Kibabii University’s Deputy Vice Chancellor Planning, Partnerships, Research and Innovation Prof. Dr.-Ing. Benedict M. Mutua in the company of Dr. Perpetua J Urio (Dar es Salaam University College of Education) and Dr. Donatian Marusu (HELVETAS, Tanzania).
In his remarks, Prof. Mutua lauded the project team and the participants of the workshop, observing that the outcomes from the exercise are direly needed within the academic circles as the country transits from regular curriculum to the Competence Based Curriculum.
In her address, Dr. Perpetua Urio highlighted the importance of the project that has currently been implemented in Zambia and Kenya with the next phase targeted for Tanzania.
“We are happy to note that the idea is being embraced well within the sampled schools and communities. We will continue supporting this with the aim of realizing the objectives of all these projects,” she said.
While attributing the poor performance in mathematics to the approaches used as well as the attitude of tutors towards the subject, Prof. Mutua challenged the tutors to cascade the knowledge acquired and apply it in the classrooms. He however
indicated that it may not always be the tutors but also other factors including poor infrastructural investment and insufficient human capital in schools that hinder performance.
“If you know mathematics, other subjects become easy. Your approach determines whether your students enjoy the subject or not. I also challenge the policy makers to invest more in modern classrooms for the comfort of teachers and learners as we transition to practical oriented learning,” he said.
Speaking on behalf of HELVETAS, Dr. Donatian Marusu assured their commitment to support the project in the 35 schools who are earmarked for implementation of the project.
“I am impressed with the speed the Kenyan people are understanding this concept. The passion, sociability and grasp of the English language has made it easy for the project team in disseminating the concepts in the training guide,” he said.
HELVETAS Tanzania is part of a network of independent development organizations with head offices in Switzerland, Germany and the USA. It operates in 29 countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America and Eastern Europe, implementing development projects in the areas of water and sanitation, agriculture and nutrition, education, economic development, democracy and peace, and climate and the environment. In Tanzania, HELVETAS has been promoting improvement of basic education and skills development, access to quality services and inclusive economic development and good governance to promote local development.
The project team from Kibabii University also includes Prof. Ipara, Prof. Mutua, Dr. Munir, Dr. Echaune, Dr. Christine and Dr. Kirwa.
Some of the recommendations from the workshop included; that school management to consider creating more time for teaching and learning of Mathematics through programmess such as evening classes among other creative ways and that teachers should enhance their competencies in teaching Mathematics by encouraging team teaching with fellow expert teachers especially for topics that seem difficult to comprehend.
The researchers also recommended that ssubsequent M&S programmess for teachers should focus on the areas of urgency such as; Integration of ICT in teaching and learning of mathematics, syllabus analysis, how to conduct competence-based assessments,knowledge of gender-based pedagogy, general health and hygiene education in teaching and learning among students as well as teaching and learning in Covid-19 situation.
Other recommendations included; that teachers should enhance their competencies in teaching Mathematics by use of team teaching with fellow expert teachers especially for topics that seem difficult to comprehend. They are also encouraged to do adequate prepararations for lessons before going to class to teach.
“School management to enhance learning environment through provision of good furniture, improve classroom ventilation and lighting, ensure talking walls in classrooms, provide teaching aids among other teaching and learning resources, ”
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Benedict M. Mutua , Kibabii University
“Schools should consider increasing the staffing levels for Mathematics teachers in the schools to enhance the teacher-student ration such that each teacher will be able to handle few students. This will reduce teacher workload and therefore able to deliver effectively in teaching and learning of Mathematics, ”
Prof. Julius Kiprop Maiyo, Kibabii University
“School management should encourage and support mathematics teachers to participate in M&S programmess by providing funds and allowing teachers to attend the programmess out of teaching schedule, ”
Dr. Perpetua J Urio, Dar es Salaam University College of
Education(Tanzania
“Teachers should encourage gender equity in teaching and learning of Mathematics. Female students should be encouraged and adequately supported to be aggressive in learning and practicing of Mathematics, ”
Dr. Donatian Marusu, HELVETAS (Tanzania)
