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26 In The News
A: I can’t remember from the top
of my head but we had countries like Engineer Magazine also sat down with Mr Modise and
Swaziland, Botswana and yes we still Mr Tladi from Bakgatle JSS in Mochudi who invented a
need to introduce the competition to Mobile Science Laboratory to ease the burden of financing
other African countries. Kenya also
participated but a lot more is needed to expensive labs in rural and peri-urban schools.
gain awareness with many other African
countries. Zimbabwe was also part of
the competition.
Q Since there is a gap with teachers
who teach this, how are you coping
with the number of learners coming for
training ?
A: The ideas is that in the schools
we have a group of learners who are
in the competition and the teachers
are the coaches. At Sci-bono we are
the mentors. We are familiar with the
project and we know how it works.
We just need to make sure that before
I make the teacher coach the student I
need to know what is expected of the
teacher. I start with them as a group,
we program the robots and show the
logistics and then I meet with the
learners as well. The role of the teacher
is to guide the student. I also share with Q: Tell us about this Mobile Laboratory?
the learners how to program and build
the robots. So both of them have the A: This mobile laboratory was motivated by lack of labs in primary schools and
knowledge but the teacher uses the dilapidated labs in secondary schools. So this innovation was meant to address
knowledge to guide the kids not to do that so that leaners will be able to conduct experiments /practical work. What
the work for them. we call activity based learning. So in this project we have water as one of the
components and can be used for different practicals in the lab such as measuring
Q: In participation at this event, have volume, finding boiling point of water or any other practical that needs water. The
you so far realized what is expected of second one is a Portable Gas Bunsen burner so we can conduct practicals that
you to achieve ? involve heat and the learners can construct knowledge on their own.
Third is the electricity component and electricity component has two outlets.
A:Yes, if I may quote what the Minister One out is connected to the wall socket and learners can conduct experiment on
said yesterday, he said that we are circuitry. When there is no electricity we resort to solar. We have a solar panel used
here to explore the power of ideas in to recharge the solar battery. We have a separate outlet for the solar connection.
education. So robotics coding i.e. IT ,we We have a buzzer to demonstrate electricity for the lab. Basically the lab creates
need to Start with teachers then then platform for learners to have activities and extract knowledge on their own.
learners .So I found we are relevant ,at
the right event and sharing with other
African countries .What we are looking Q: How long did it take to build this laboratory?
for if possible is have partnerships with
other companies and governments A: It took almost one year and three months to make it work.
Q: What was the response from other countries dignitaries at this event?
Issue 24 - oct/Nov 2019 www.engineermagazine.co.bw www.engineermagazine.co.bw Issue 24 - oct/Nov 2019