5-year-old computer whizkid dazzles
By Shepherd Chimururi
Junior Kamungeremu a five-year-old Early Childhood Development (ECD) learner deserves to be the right hand man of Minister of Primary and Secondary Education’s Lazarus Dokora, in the battle to convince some doubting people about the feasibility of implementing the new Information, Communication and Technology curriculum that is starting at infant level.
In less than 10 minutes he won over the hearts of over 50 ECD teachers who were attending a workshop under the theme ‘E-learning in the new curriculum’ that was organised by Dzidzo Inhaka Audio Visual learning held at Correspondence Learning Centre last Saturday.
In those few minutes Kamungeremu, a learner at Sheali – learning and ECD centre in Chitungwiza, achieved what countless ministerial press statements and adverts had failed to do.
He showcased marvellous keyboard and mouse handling skills and executed activities in the new ICT curriculum like switching on and shutting down a computer, opening and closing programmes, colouring, painting and drawing shapes and solving puzzles with aplomb.
The tech giant-in-the-making had his skills beamed on a projector.
Junior Kamungeremu Junior Kamungeremu He managed to convince the teachers that it is possible to teach pre-readers how to operate a computer through the mastery of colours and shapes even though they cannot read words.
Putting the computer right under his control, Kamungeremu demonstrated how an ECD kid should explore, manipulate and utilise the computer in learning.
It was just e-learning made in utopia.
Such level of practicality being demonstrated by an infant will doubt leave Minister Dokora will wearing a jaw to jaw smile.
In an interview with Cool Lifestyle, the excited Kamungeremu said, “I like spending my time working on the computers than playing with other kids because when I grow up I want to be a computer technician. I want to keep on helping other children to learn computers so that we compete.”
After his demonstration teachers had a lighter time, laughing at each other for failing to do what Kamungeremu had done like drawing a straight line using a mouse.
Also to help teachers appreciate practical child ICT lessons was Dzidzo Inhaka brand ambassador Trish Manongwa grade 3 a learner at Frank Johnson Primary.
These children are a silent weapon that can be used to counter technophobic driven arguments being propagated by and anti ICT curriculum brigades.
With all being said and done, it should not be a matter of clapping hands, watching or being entertained by such activities.
This should without doubt, raise the desire for teachers and parents to embrace e-learning and most importantly.
The workshop proved that fears which are being associated with the rolling out of the new ICT curriculum is mythical and that e-learning is without doubt a good meal to both the student and the teacher.
Other topics that were covered at the workshop included setting up a computer lab, school e-learning compliance check list, and e-learning teachers skills training.
Schools represented at the workshop included Kutama Primary, Kuwadzana Primary, Domboshava, Hakuna Matata Junior, Mother Love Junior, Brooklands Junior, Shallom Junior, Noah’s Ark, Shinning Star Pre-school, Moonrise College, Gabrielle Pre-school, Derbyshire Junior, Apple Blossom and Little Ambassadors.
Dzidzo Inhaka has since partnered with ZechDef to do more workshops around the country. The Herald
