It’s early morning in Loreto Primary School. The air is still fresh while all the pupils are gathering under the big Lulu tree, beside the classrooms. The excitement is palpable as Ms Ritar Achieng, the coordinator of the primary school, officially opens this year’s science exhibition under the theme “Creativity”.

Weeks ago, every teacher chose a topic from the broad field of science or social studies, together with their class. The main thing is that it’s creative and can be made from things which are already there. Paper, branches, flowers, clay, tins, or even the leftover pieces of teachers’ chalk. Everything is given a new lease of life while protecting the environment.

The first class starts with their presentation. All eyes are on the small local houses, which they created from old paper, clay and grass. Three girls from this class explain how they made it. The paper was soaked in water, mashed and mixed with glue. The modelling was then done in phases. In between, the whole thing had to dry in the sun again and again. At the end, the pupils mixed chalk pieces with water and a little colour and painted their houses and glued cut grass onto the roofs. The result was admired by everyone.

The next class begins their presentation. They have created a dustbin made from old bottles and explained to the audience how important it is to keep the environment clean. The topic of environmental care comes up in many presentations throughout the day.

“Science exhibitions are about learning on different levels,” explains Ms Ritar. “The pupils put into practice what they have learned during the year, so that they understand, learning is not just on paper and ends on paper. The aim of this exhibition is to break down the sometimes-abstract subject matter into something very concrete from the pupils’ daily lives. Besides, they learn new skills such as teamwork, handicrafts, and public speaking.”

In recent years, models of mountains and volcanoes, animals, houses, homesteads, and much more have been created. Many of these models are later used again in lessons to illustrate aspects of geography or social studies to the pupils in a vivid way.

Time flies by quickly as one class after another presents its models. Some are only barely finished, and it is apparent that the pupils are not happy with them. “Well, it’s also a learning process for our teachers”, Ms Ritar clarifies. “You have to start early with your class. The process of modelling takes a lot of time, and sometimes things don’t work out as planned. Many of our teachers have never learned anything like this. So, my job is to accompany and support them during these weeks,” she adds.

The last class has finished their presentation. Now the jury decides which exhibit and which presentation will receive an award. It is obvious how difficult the decision is for them, as all the exhibits are unique. Before announcing the winners, everyone goes to admire the work of the kindergarten children. They drew colourful trees made with fingerprints, and win the hearts of the audience immediately.

Then the award ceremony starts. Cheers erupt when class P5 Star is called. Their shop model takes third place together with class P5 Cherry, which created kitchen equipment from cardboard. Class P3 Emerald, with a presentation about the different kinds of fish and their importance for a healthy diet, wins second place, just as P4 Orange, with their model of a school ground. The highlight is class P4 Amber’s water dispenser, made from an old cardboard box, an empty bottle, and a straw, using the physical principle of negative pressure.

Many of the exhibits amazed the jury and audience with their ingenuity and inventiveness. Once all the trophies and medals have been handed out, all the other classes that did not win a prize this year will also receive some sweets. So, in the end, everyone is happy and a little bit smarter.

Running Loreto Primary School would simply not be possible without your financial support. We are very grateful to all those who believe in our mission and support our work. If you would like to help us, give children a better future, please visit our online donation page.