The Ministry of Education of Sports has completed retraining at least 325 Science and Mathematics teachers as part of the on-going project to create centers of excellence.
The 82 million dollar project is funded by the African Development Bank.
As part of the project, government has ear-marked 42 secondary schools, which will have old buildings renovated, new classroom blocks built, laboratories equipped and computer labs set up in a bid to restore their past glory.
Alfred Kyaka, a senior education officer with the Ministry says, with the help of the Sesemat centre, they hope to have re-trained 2500 Science and mathematics teachers by 2014 when the project winds up.
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Under the project, at least ten Science and Mathematics Teachers and two laboratory assistants will have been re-trained at each of the 42 schools.
There has also been the retraining of Board of Governors and head teachers to offer supervisory roles during the entire duration of the project.
According to Kyaka, they expect to start renovations and construction works in 31 out of the 42 schools.
Each school has been given facilities depending on their needs. Masaka Secondary School, for instance will have 22 classrooms built at the school besides removing all asbestos roofing from staff houses. Mbarara High school, on the other hand is going to receive a modern ICT laboratory, six classrooms and a laboratory.
When asked what would happen to the first world schools whose academic performance was good, Kyaka allayed fears that some schools were bound to fail academically.
Kyaka explained that government would not get involved in the day today running of schools but will leave the role to the school’s Boards of Governors.
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1,000 bright students throughout the country will receive four year bursaries at both O and A-levels.
The schools’ curriculum will emphasize academic and vocational training and enrollment will be limited mainly to bright students with a hope of getting a future workforce.
Kyaka said by 2014, he envisages well managed secondary schools to act as model schools.
