12 Jun 2023

The universe was a marvel to watch for Machana Primary School pupils and teachers during the stargazing night that inspired their curiosity to learn more about space science.

The event held in Machana on June 9, was a follow-up to the astronomy training workshop organised by Kanye Education Centre in collaboration with Botswana International University of Science and Technology (BIUST) and Diamonds in the Sky to encourage children to know more about astronomy.

One of the event facilitators also the founder of Diamonds in the Sky Ms Patricia Tomlinson said gazing into the sky was one of many ways to encourage a child’s natural love of learning.

“It is a step toward raising thoughtful, introspective, universe-conscious people. Children are never too young to have their imaginations fired up by the school’s science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM),” she said.

She said while drama, music and art have traditionally been the foundations for encouraging children’s creativity to shine, in recent years there had been a greater emphasis on outdoor education such as astronomy and stargazing as a means to widen learning experiences.

She said participating in astronomy-based activities like stargazing would help to foster interest in science.

Ms Tomlinson said stargazing encouraged children to use their imagination and inspired scientific curiosity which lead to exciting discussions about evolution and the power of gravity.

She said they chose Machana primary for the event to narrow the disparity that existed between children who lived in the cities, major villages and settlements.

She noted that many learners who attend school at Machana were ferried to and from school with donkey carts with some living many kilometres away. Teachers at school are all women who live in tents without indoor plumbing and source electricity from solar, she said.

However, she said the school had benefited greatly from the investment and patronage provided by the Ministry of Basic Education and the First Lady Ms Neo Masisi.

For her part, the Chief Education Officer at Good Hope Sub Region Ms Kefilwe Lekoba applauded the Southern Region committee for selecting Machana Primary saying the stargazing event presented an opportunity to preserve the indigenous stories about stars as told by Basarwa and other tribes who are in touch with the field of astronomy.

“Many children find it fascinating that the stars they are looking at are the same stars that they have been told amazing stories about by their grandparents. This creates a genuine emotional connection and contributes to a positive mindset and feeling of team spirit,” she said.

She said the knowledge systems which seek to understand, explain, and predict nature were passed to successive generations through oral tradition.

Ms Lekoba also received 10 small telescopes and scientific kits from Diamonds in the Sky to be distributed to 10 schools to provide the best experience for the greatest number of teachers and students. Ends