Teachers urged to foster 21st Century skills
Teachers have been told to move with the times if they are to facilitate meaningful learning for the 21st Century learner. The call was made by Dr Maina WaGioko, a key note speaker during the two-day 4th Annual Teacher Education Symposium held on April 21, 2022 at Silver Springs Hotel in Bugolobi, Kampala. The symposium was officially opened by the Frist Lady and Minister of Education and Sports Janet Kataaha Museveni.
“The world has been changing; from phones, to computers and cars, among other things, now being produced in sleeker models, but the classroom has remained static,” Dr WaGioko said. The competence-based curriculum specialist from Kenya, who had been invited into the country by Luigi Giussani Institute of Higher Education in partnership with British Council Uganda to talk to teachers about: The Role of Competence-based Curriculum in the 21st Century Learning, also urged teachers to teach for life and not for just grades.
LGIHE and British Council Uganda have a partnership aimed at enhancing 21st Century Skills among learners in Uganda and the symposium, which attracted education ministry officials from different departments such as Teacher Education and Teacher Development (TETD), UNITE, principals from Primary Teacher Colleges (PTCs) and National Teacher Colleges (NTCs) and other education partners, offered them a great opportunity to reach out and influence major education stakeholder about the need to foster core skills among learners.
“Most teachers think learners are born with a listening skill. No, do not assume so, you must teach learners to listen,” Dr WaGioko said.
At the symposium whose theme was: Coping with COVID-19 and its Impact on the Education Sector: The Teachers’ Role, LGIHE Director of Programmes Gillian Atuheire presented two papers: Improving Teachers’ Instructional Design to Nurture Critical Thinking: Findings from a Professional Development Action Research Implemented with Secondary School Teachers, and Improving Students’ Engagement and Attitudes Towards Learning Science Subjects: The Role of Home-based Learning During the COVID-19 Lockdown.
At the sidelines of the symposium, LGIHE, British Council and TETD also took part in a television talkshow aimed at sensitising the public about benefits of learners being equipped with 21st Century Skills. The talkshow was attended by LGIHE’s Gillian Atuheire, British Council Country Director Chilufya Besa and TETD Assistant Commissioner Annet Mugisha. To watch the talkshow, follow link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EZ1SN054nhs
