The document discusses the challenges and opportunities in STEM teacher training in Africa, emphasizing the need for improved investment in infrastructure and quality education post-2015. It highlights the decreasing enrollment in STEM fields and the lack of skilled educators while proposing principles for effective STEM teacher preparation that incorporate 21st-century skills. Initiatives by Bindura University aim to stimulate STEM activity, including curriculum reviews, teacher capacity programs, and the establishment of a global STEM alliance.

1. TEACHER TRAINING IN STEM
EDUCATION IN AFRICA:
Opportunities for post 2015
1
Prof. Eddie Mwenje
BINDURA UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE EDUCATION
BINDURA
ZIMBABWE

2. Introduction and the Journey of
SETI
 At its inception, COVIDSET wanted our
governments and policy makers to understand the
role of SETI in development.
 It also wanted to influence the way science and
engineering was being taught in our institutions as
well as to build capacity.
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3.  Academics wanted to convince our governments and
policy makers to invest more funds in research and
infrastructure development in this much needed area
 South Africa and Mauritius may be the few countries
who may have succeeded in this area.
 South African government to its credit, introduced
centres of Excellence in 2004. It started with 5 centres
and has now increased to over 10 centres mainly in
Science and Technology. These centres are well
funded and are doing exceptionally well.
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4.  The world bank, introduced African Centres of
Excellence (ACE) in STI in West Africa in 2013.
 In 2015, there are now in East and Southern Africa to
establish African Centres of Excellence (ACE)
 It is my hope that these centres will assist in
stimulating SETI activity on the continent
 There is a general agreement that among other things,
the failure of countries to meet the just ended MDGs,
was a lack of recognition of the role of SETI.
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5.  The Sustainable development goals(SDGs) recognise
the important role of science in achieving the goals.
 Quality education is one of 17 Global Goals that make
up the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
 It also aims to provide equal access to affordable
vocational training, and to eliminate gender and
wealth disparities with the aim of achieving universal
access to a quality higher education
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6. The Present and the Missing Link
 In Africa, the enrolment of students taking STEM
related subjects into our Universities continues to go
down
 Infrastructural investment in SETI remains low
 Many governments and local industries believe that
the Scientists, Engineers and Technologist produced
in our Universities are not good for purpose
 A large number of Science and Engineering graduates
are out of employment selling airtime in the streets
 The curricula in most colleges has not changed in the
last 20 years
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7. Teacher Training in STEM Education
 The production of quantity and quality teachers is important
in Africa especially in STEM.
 Few students today pursue expertise in STEM fields—and we
have an inadequate pipeline of teachers skilled in those
subjects.
 In a world that’s becoming increasingly complex, where
success is driven not only by what you know, but by what you
can do with what you know, it’s more important than ever for
graduates to be equipped with the knowledge and skills to
solve tough problems, gather and evaluate evidence, and
make sense of information 7

8.  These are the types of skills that students learn by
studying science, technology, engineering, and
math—subjects collectively known as STEM.
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9. Vacant posts in the Sciences and
Mathematics
9
Masvingo
Mash West
Midlands
Mat North
Mat South
Mash East
Mash Central
Harare
Bulawayo
Maincaland
National
52
55
30
67
45
11
26
8
8
2
30
% vacant posts in the Sciences and Mathematics Classes
(2014)
% vacant post

10. Enrolment in Pure Sciences in
Secondary schools in Zimbabwe
10
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
20
2009 2010 2011 2012 2014
% enrolment in Pure Sciences
% In Pure Sciences

11. Ordinary level Candidature in
Zimbabwe
11
0
50000
100000
150000
200000
250000
300000
2009 2010 2011 2012 2014
AxisTitle
'O'Level Candidature
total candidature
Integrated Science
Biology
Chemistry
Physics
Computer Studies
Pure Sciences

12. Ordinary and Advanced level Transition
rates
Year ‘O' Level ‘A ‘Level Transition rate
2009 91 445 20 765 23 %
2010 133 573 20 063 15%
2011 136 262 28 220 21%
2012 268 854 40 550 15%
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13. Projected percentage increases in STEM
Jobs
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14. Core principles on STEM teacher
preparation
1. STEM teacher education programmes should
prepare all students with 21st century knowledge and
skills.
2. STEM teachers and administrators should possess,
teach and assess 21st century knowledge and skills.
3. STEM teacher education should prepare their
graduates to possess, teach and assess 21st century
knowledge and skills.
4. STEM teachers should become change agents for
embedding 21st century knowledge and skills in all
STEM disciplines.
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15. 5. Higher education leaders should work with leaders in
commerce and industry to inform the redesign of STEM
teacher preparation programmes to more effectively meet
the needs of 21st century learners.
6. Each STEM teacher education institution should be
recognized as sources of leadership in developing 21st
century education and learning strategies.
7. STEM teacher education institutions should be at the
forefront of research and evaluation of STEM education
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16.  These guiding principles if embedded in teacher
preparation will assist institutions in meeting the
demands of the local, national, regional and global
economy such as the mastery of 21st century skills
which include critical thinking, problem-solving,
communication, collaboration and creativity and
innovation.
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17.  In short, teacher preparation programmes play a key
role in helping all educators learn, develop, practice,
refine; and assess 21st century curriculum, planning;
and instruction.
 Educators need to keep asking the key question ‘How
do we best prepare our students for a future of work
that does not yet exist, careers that have not yet been
created, and an economy that prizes creativity and
innovation?
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18. Conclusion
Bindura University of Science Education in Zimbabwe
has embarked on stimulating STEM activities in
Zimbabwe as follows;
1. Participation in the National curriculum review of
primary and secondary curriculum with a STEM
focus
2. Teacher capacity programmes for In-service and Pre-
service Science Teachers
3. Bi-annual international Conferences for Science and
Mathematics educators with emphasis on STEM
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19.  Introduced Mathematics competitions for secondary
schools in Zimbabwe and will soon move to primary
schools
 Launched the Global STEM alliance in 2015 to which
you are welcome to become members
 The University has applied to be an African Centre of
Excellence (ACE) in STEM Education
To join Global STEM Alliance contact:
Nyikahadzoyi@gmail.com, BMupanduki@cde.ca.gov
or globalstem2015@gmail.com.
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20. PromotingScienceforHumanDevelopment
THANK YOU.
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