UNIMA to Offer Short Courses in Chemistry for Secondary Teachers
19 September, 2021 by HEC Media in
This is a semester long course to be offered through Open, Distance and E-learning (ODeL). The programme will commence on 8 November, 2021 and will run for 9 weeks and all teaching and learning will be conducted online. The course is being supported by the Strengthening Higher Education Access in Malawi Activity (SHEAMA) program, implemented by Arizona State University with funding from United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
COURSE DESCRIPTION
The Department of Chemistry has realised through combined years of teaching experience the struggle many students face in order to succeed in chemistry in secondary schools and the early years in College. It has been observed that many students who enrol into chemistry courses in the university tend to demonstrate similar characteristics of mechanical approach of chemistry subject matter which in the view of the department is not appropriate for sustainable progression in the subject. In some Community Secondary Schools (CDSSs) the situation is exacerbated by the fact that chemistry is taught by teachers who are not qualified to teach the subject but are forced to do so due to acute staffing problems. There is, therefore, a need to properly train such teachers in order to improve the quality of delivery in such poorly resourced schools. The semester long course for secondary school chemistry teachers will equip the teachers with more engaging and innovative approaches in the teaching of the topics in chemistry. This will lead to a better grasp and liking of chemistry by the learners. Apart from training in the delivery of the theoretical aspects of the subject, teachers will also be trained in alternative approaches for enhancing practical experience and skills of students even where there is poor laboratory infrastructure. At the end of this course, participants will receive a certificate of attendance and a transcript indicating all the modules that they will have covered. Additionally, the participants will be given both electronic and hard copies of the materials covered during the course
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
Applicants should be holders of MSCE or O-Level certificate or IGSCE or GCE or its equivalent with passes in Physical Science/Chemistry and Mathematics. Applicants must also have a secondary school chemistry teaching experience. Those from SHEAMA targeted districts of Karonga, Kasungu, Salima, Balaka, Mulanje and Chikwawa, especially adolescent girls and young women and persons with disabilities, are particularly encouraged to apply.
TUITION FEES AND SCHOLARSHIPS
The total fees payable per student for the short course is MK200,000.00. Scholarships will be made available to a few candidates who will meet the programme-set criteria. For more information, please contact the ODeL Director at Chancellor College, through [email protected] or the Director of Scholarships and Grants at SHEAMA, through [email protected]
APPLICATION PROCEDURE
Applicants should fill in an application form which can be downloaded from Chancellor College website under ODEL programmes https://www.cc.ac.mw, or can be requested through e-mail from: [email protected]. The filled forms should be sent to the following address by Saturday, 2nd October 2021:
The Head of Department, Department of Chemistry, University of Malawi, P.O. Box 280, Zomba
Or by email [email protected] and copy [email protected]
Selection list will be published on Chancellor College website at https://www.cc.ac. mw by Friday, 15 October 2021