A Report on the Training of Educators from West Nile Districts on Energy Education and Management of Energy Resources in Educational Institutions and Follow-Up Workshop of Stakeholders in the Energy Conservation Sector

Abstract

Based on a pilot study set out to assess the gaps in energy education and management in educational institutions, a number of findings and recommendations were made challenging the Ministry of Education and Sports (MOES) and other institutions, NGOs and energy stakeholders to undertake a comprehensive training needs assessment in educational institutions for various energy technologies such as biogas, solar power and improved firewood technologies in order to develop a training programme for the teaching staff. Related to this was the recommendation for building the capacity of the relevant staff to handle the numerous energy saving technologies that are getting into the market together with relevant equipment and materials for teaching subjects with energy components in the education institutions. The Uganda National Commission for UNESCO (UNATCOM) therefore organised two follow-up workshps, one for training teachers in Northwestern (West Nile) region that is not on the national grid and another one for stakeholders to disseminate the findings of the study and propose Action Plans. The overall objective of the training in Arua was to build the capacity of the teaching staff in the Northwestern region outside the national grid and prepare them to support and become champions of energy education and conservation of energy resources in the educational institutions. A total of 40 teachers and tutors from selected educational institutions were targeted. The training methodology included presentations from participants about the situation in their schools and institutions, presentation of the findings from the study, lectures on energy education and management principles, brainstorming and open discussions, group work and plenary discussions. Every team was tasked to identify a feasible project for the schools that can be implemented in an institutional setting. There was a proposal for the establishment of an appropriate platform/forum/Association to promote energy management in institutions and identify key activities that you need to undertake to get desired results. The overall objectives of the training was to build the capacity of the teaching staff for supporting energy education and conservation of energy resources in the educational institutions through various ways, including initiation of projects and formation of energy clubs in the institutions. The specific objectives include sensitization of the participating teachers on the study findings and the environmental risks facing their districts and the region, collection of information from the teachers' representatives from the districts on the state of the environment and on energy use in their schools, train teachers on the basic knowledge and skills on energy education, conservation, environmental protection and alternative/green/ renewable energy resources, principles of club formation and sustainable management of clubs in institutions and to facilitate the development of pilot practical strategies and action plans by the trainee teachers for dissemination of the acquired knowledge to their colleagues and initiate energy clubs in their host schools. The methodologies of training included presentations from participants about the situation in their schools, lectures on the findings of the energy study that established that biomass was the dominant source of energy used in educational institutions mostly with inefficient technologies. In the brainstorming sessions, open discussions, group work and plenary discussions and from the participant's presentations, the key issues were the inadequacy and irrelevance of instruction materials, lack of stakeholder engagement, security of energy issues, lack of trained teachers on energy and environment management, lack of energy saving stoves, lack of environment clubs in most schools, negative attitudes from teachers, administrations, students and teachers. Various solutions and recommendations were adopted to build capacity of the institutions in energy education and conservation of energy resources. In the consultative workshop for stakeholders on energy education and management of energy resources in educational institutions, the background to the workshop and study was provided. The Ministries, agencies or organizations were urged to present responses to the recommendations in line with their mandates and share experiences on the roles, responsibilities and commitment to address the challenges. Presentations were made by the various stakeholders representing their organizations. After general discussions and identification of issues, the workshop resolved on the need for advocacy programme in schools, documentation of the knowledge levels on energy and findings of research work for dissemination to schools, developing a mechanism to harmonise the cost incurred in the work on energy conservation and establishment of a secretariat for coordination on energy education.