Applied physics made fun to learn
Sixty six science teachers from the Otjozondjupa Region participates in the two-day Little Shop of Physics training programme to improve the region’s standard of science education. The intensive but relaxed training programme was made possible through collaboration between the Regional Directorate of the Ministry of Education, B2Gold Namibia, Colorado State University, the FNB Foundation and RMB Namibia. Each participating teachers received a certificate upon completion of the training which was conducted at B2Gold’s Education Centre at their Otjikoto Mine in the Otjiwarongo district.
Otjikoto Mine, Otjiwarongo – A large group of science teachers in the Otjozondjupa Region sacrificed a part of their holiday to attend two-day training sessions before the start of the academic year. The B2Gold Education Centre at the Otjikoto Mine has been buzzing for two weeks as the teachers came together to explore the concepts of physics freely, to engage in learning and to discover the physical truths of nature.
Brian Jones and his colleagues from the Colorado State University’s Little Shop of Physics gave up their Christmas vacation to run seven workshops to inspire teachers and over 100 learners to explore physics and natural science.
Having studied Namibia’s secondary and new upper primary science curricula and standards, they brought with them hands-on practical experiments put together from everyday objects to actively engaged teachers and learners on Force and Motion, and Molecules and Matter.
Brian said “the enthusiasm and cooperation of the teachers were unparalleled and the experience has been nothing short of humbling and educating”.
Each teacher took back to their school a large kit of equipment so they can empower learners to see the world, and themselves, in a different light through applied science. The programme teaches people that science is something anyone can do, and accomplishes this by allowing the learners to play scientist, finding creative ways to share the wonders of science.
Mr. Charles Kabajani, the deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education, who visited one of the learners’ workshops over the weekend said “the ministry is prepared and will continue to support initiatives such as the Little Shop of Physics” and that “these type of investments are what corporate entities such as B2Gold and RMB Namibia need to focus their social investments efforts on, in support of existing government plans and projects”.
The workshops were made possible through a collaboration between the Regional Directorate of the Ministry of Education, B2Gold Namibia, Colorado State University, the FNB Foundation and RMB Namibia.
