Junior Secondary Schools Asked to Use Solar Mobile Labs to Empower Education
The School Equipment Production Unit (Sepu) has advised Junior Secondary School (JSS) administrators to purchase solar-powered mobile laboratories to reduce equipment scarcity in remote areas.
Joel Mabongo, chief executive officer of Sepu, stated that the organization had created mobile laboratories to furnish junior secondary schools in rural regions.
At the Sheikh Zayed Children Welfare Centre in Mombasa, he delivered a speech to over 10,000 primary school head teachers at the annual Kenya Primary School Heads Association conference.
Sepu is the national agency responsible for the production of laboratory equipment.
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The Sepu executive advised the head teachers to purchase mobile laboratories for use by JSS students at a reduced cost rather than waiting for the parents to construct a Sh3 million laboratory infrastructure.
Dr. Mabongo highlighted that currently, the majority of junior secondary schools need laboratories. This situation compels students to walk to the closest high schools with laboratories for their practical lessons.
He stated that the organization had developed mobile laboratories stocked with the standard science equipment for laboratories, which could be utilized to expose JSS students to hands-on instruction.
Mabongo stated, “The mobile laboratory in question is equipped with a gas cylinder, chemical sink, connected pipes, and connected taps, among other essential laboratory components.”
Before entering senior secondary school, the head teachers of comprehensive schools, including CBC 2:6:3, must be per the requirements of the students, according to Mabongo.
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Mabongo announced that teachers hesitant to teach CBC due to a lack of laboratories could dispel their concerns as Sepu had a solution for them.
Furthermore, he mentioned that the agency has prepared to convert several current classrooms into laboratories following the installation of solar-powered mobile laboratories.
Mabongo mentioned the availability of solar mobile laboratories for schools without electricity. He stated that schools could acquire each mobile laboratory for Sh220,000 instead of waiting for a more expensive laboratory worth millions of shillings.
Additionally, he highlighted the option to visit schools and convert unused classrooms into laboratories at a minimal cost.
Chairman of Kepsha, Jonhson Nzioka, emphasized the immediate need to address the insufficient infrastructure in Junior Secondary Schools (JSS), particularly the lack of laboratories.
He stated that exposure to laboratory activities would equip students with practical skills recognized by the CBC.
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Primary and junior secondary school teachers have already embraced innovations, according to Nzioka, and they request government assistance in overcoming the current obstacles in CBC.
Junior Secondary Schools Asked to Use Solar Mobile Labs to Empower Education
