On the 14th of July 2023, a transformative training session unfolded, marking a significant stride towards enhancing education in this remote and unique setting.
In an inspiring journey that transcended geographical boundaries, Eustace Gatenjwa embarked on a mission to Kiunga Primary School, nestled near the Kenya-Somalia border in Lamu
county. The goal was to usher the school into the digital realm of education through the Kurasa Africa platform.
Training Session and Objectives:
A dedicated three-hour training session encompassed seventeen staff members and three administrators, amassing a total of twenty participants. The overarching aim was to acquaint the Kiunga Primary School team with the versatile capabilities of the Kurasa Africa platform. The training spanned various crucial topics, including learner registration, attendance marking, learning area assignment, and the creation of meticulous lesson plans and schemes of work.
Notably, the session comprehensively covered both formative and summative assessment techniques. In essence, the training session resonated as a triumph, achieving its set objectives while fostering an interactive and insightful learning environment. Despite minor hurdles, the Kiunga Primary School staff experienced a transformative educational journey, marked by engaged participation and knowledge transfer. As the echoes of positive feedback reverberated, it became evident that Kurasa’s mission to empower education was seamlessly integrating into the fabric of Kiunga Primary School’s pedagogical landscape.
What went well
During the training session, several positive aspects were observed:
- The participants actively participated through discussions and asking relevant questions, shared their experiences, and contributed valuable insights throughout the session.
- The staff participated in group discussions, case studies, and hands-on exercises, all which were successful in promoting active learning.
- The staff appreciated the shared practical tips, best practices, and real-world examples related to the teacher professional documents.
- The examples used were well-received and helped facilitate understanding among the participants
CHALLENGES
Despite the overall success of the training session, the following challenges were encountered:
- The school is located close to the volatile Kenya-Somalia boarder, at a very remote location. The journey to the school is tedious yet thrilling because I encountered animals such as antelopes and warthogs in their natural habitat.
- Technical challenges: There were moments where I needed some teachers’ details to be captured into the school administrator account but this was promptly resolved.
- Time Constraints: Due to the extensive content and limited time available, some topics had to be covered in a relatively fast-paced manner. This resulted in a few participants feeling slightly overwhelmed, and they expressed a desire for more time to fully grasp certain concepts.
- Diverse knowledge levels: The participants had varying levels of prior knowledge and experience as some were even familiar with AI-based lesson planning and schemes of work while some were novices. I had to strike a balance between the two groups.
- Technical Issues: There were occasional technical difficulties during the session, such as intermittent internet connectivity problems. Although these issues were promptly addressed, they led to minor interruptions and temporary distractions.
