More than 150 Junior School teachers in Kisumu County have been equipped with digital skills to integrate virtual laboratories into Mathematics and Integrated Science lessons, in a move aimed at improving practical STEM learning despite challenges caused by limited physical laboratory facilities in many schools.

The three-day training, organised by the Centre for Mathematics, Science and Technology Education in Africa (CEMASTEA), brought together teachers from the county’s eight sub-counties to strengthen their capacity in using virtual laboratory technology under the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC).

Speaking during the training at Nyakach Girls Senior School on Wednesday, July 1, 2026, Kisumu County trainers’ representative Chadwick Ajwang said the programme would help teachers deliver practical science lessons through digital simulations, especially in schools where laboratory equipment is unavailable.

“Virtual laboratories recreate real-life scientific experiments using technology, allowing learners to carry out practical activities in a digital environment while developing the same scientific concepts taught in physical laboratories,” Ajwang said.

He explained that teachers were trained on how to plan, facilitate and assess virtual experiments to ensure learners gain practical knowledge despite challenges linked to inadequate infrastructure and limited science resources.

Practical lessons implementation

According to Ajwang, the initiative is expected to address some of the difficulties faced by Junior Schools in implementing practical lessons.

“Empowering teachers with innovative teaching methods is essential in preparing learners for a technology-driven future. This approach gives teachers new ways of making science learning more engaging and accessible,” he said.

Ajwang noted that feedback from participants showed strong support for the programme, with many teachers describing virtual laboratories as a solution to resource constraints affecting STEM education.

He added that digital learning tools would allow learners to continue exploring scientific concepts beyond the classroom using smartphones and other devices.

“Technology provides an opportunity for learners to continue learning outside school hours and also allows parents and guardians to support their children’s education by engaging with these learning tools,” Ajwang said.

The trainers encouraged teachers to combine virtual laboratory sessions with traditional classroom instruction, noting that the technology should complement rather than replace physical experiments where laboratory facilities exist.

They said the blended learning approach would help learners develop both digital skills and hands-on practical abilities.

The Kisumu training is part of a nationwide programme targeting 7,000 Junior School teachers across the country. It follows the training of 240 county trainers by CEMASTEA in June, who were later tasked with training Mathematics and Integrated Science teachers in their respective counties.

Education stakeholders say wider adoption of virtual laboratories will improve the quality of STEM education by ensuring learners continue to access practical learning experiences regardless of the availability of physical laboratory facilities.

The initiative is also expected to support the implementation of the competency-based curriculum by making science learning more interactive, inclusive and technology-driven, particularly in resource-constrained schools.