BIOLOGY DEPARTMENT
Introduction:
- Biology equips the students with knowledge on biodiversity, morphology and anatomy of their bodies and other species, physiology and biochemistry.
It also explores special topics like origin of life, Evolution and Genetics plus Ecology.
Biology is a compulsory subject from S1-S.4. HSC students’ combinations with Biology include PCB, BCM and CAB. This is to provide a rich knowledge background for students who wish to study pharmacy, Human medicine, Veterinary medicine, Agriculture, Radiography, medical laboratory technology and food science and technology.
Staffing:
The department has 11 well qualified committed teachers and one highly experienced laboratory assistant.
- Mr. Ssebuguzi Fulgensio (Head of Department)
- Mr. Turyamubona Willy
- Mr. Sserugo Joseph
- Mr. Mukwaya Joseph
- Mr. Nyombi Patrick
- Mr. Baryabanohe Callistus
- Mr. Magala Alex
- Mr. Kabuubi Robert
- Mr. Akatuhiira Amasto (Laboratory Assistant)
Activities
- The department keeps white rats for HSC biology lessons. It also intends to start a pond for rearing of toads and a botanical garden for unique plant species.
- Every year, an ecology field study tour is organized to some of the most interesting natural ecosystems in Uganda eg Queen Elizabeth National Park and Rwenzori Mountain National Park.
- Teacher’s workshops and students seminars are compulsory annual events
- The department networks with prominent science teachers in the country and wishes to have contacts outside Uganda.
Facilities
-The department has two well furnished biology laboratories stocked with most common chemical substances and equipment including stains, microscope and refrigerators.
- It has preserved specimens such as star fish, jelly fish, octopuses and crabs.
- Bones from small mammals eg rabbits and large mammals eg elephants.
- We use simulations to ease the teaching and learning of some topics
-Students use internet surfing in addition to text books.
TO WHAT EXTENT SHOULD BIOLOGY STUDENTS GO PRACTICAL
To the Ugandan style, people go practical in Biology by just 33 and a half percent according to the UACE standards. This is a controversial to what students would expect since even the vexed questions in paper 2, students say, tend to be papers of their own and therefore put the percentage of the practicals down. According to UCE, the effect is similar to that of UACE because practicals are never marked out of 100 but 60 and the theory part 100. Could the low percentage of considering practical work be the reason as to why paper 2 trounces students??? Oh yes, I too believe it could be.
From our great researchers, we get to know that practicals are too important but to what extend is the issue. Considering Charles Darwin’s studies of the effects of light on plant growth, he was able to discover that plants have hormones. For Carl Linnaeus, the great classifier, made expeditions to remote places with his students enabled them discover many species of different organisms.
The above give a rough impact of practical and field work on the theory work in class. But, one may ask, can Darwin’s work or even Mendel’s studies in the inheritance of pea, plants and hybridization be practiced in the 2 and a half hours of the exam. No, but the students do believe that if some of these experiments are conducted in advance as they study, then understanding the theory part becomes simpler. It also rises the affinity of the students for the subject which makes such a class an elite group to teach.
Too great that SHACK has realized the importance of some of these. An example is the field expedition we have recently had to Murchison Falls national park as the biology class to study how different species of wild living organism interact with each other, the environment in which they live and the various ecosystems in the game park. This is exactly what we study in class as far as the topic of ecology is concerned. This has advances our understanding of that topic a number steps the positive side of the number line.
That tries to rise the 33 and a half percent to 50% but the effort to treasure such ideas by some schools is still lacking and many teachers still think that biology does not go beyond class and yet we live it.
Long live SHACK Biology Department.
FOR GREATER HORIZONS
MR. SSEBUGUZI FULGENSIO (HEAD OF DEPARTMENT)