Mr Kitambala was speaking during a training session, which involved more than 130 teachers, on simple approaches and techniques of teaching the subjects.
The training was conducted by the science teachers from South Korea (Trainers of Teachers) and funded by the Korea International Cooperation Agency (Koica) and jointly implemented by HSOT.
He noted that the use of simple practical techniques would help students to explore main concepts and can later do their own investigations. He cited an example of the Sierpinski pyramid in teaching mathematics, saying it was helping students to use mathematical models to represent and understand quantitative relationships.
Mr Kitambala said the use of the simple practical teaching methods should not be ignored.
“Practical work stimulates and engages students’ learning at varying levels of inquiry. It simply helps them grow both mentally and physically,” he said.
Koica country director Mr Joonsung Park noted that science was the driver of the industrialization process, which the fifth phase government is keen on.
According to him, South Korea was determined to keep its support for the development of science activities in various Tanzanian schools.
The chairman of the Korean teachers, Mr Sun Lee noted that practical work in teaching science and mathematics subjects is the best communication mode.
One of the mathematics teachers, Lunguya Angelo, from Bwisia Secondary School in Ukerewe District said teaching using practical experiments had been ignored.
“A lot of teachers believe that topics that need practical work must be done in laboratories, but it is high time that the teachers went back to the basics of teaching. Simple practical works may enable students to understand various topics well,” he said
