By: Nana Appiah Acquaye
The
Ethiopian Space Science Society has successfully concluded the third edition of
its 2025 Teacher Training Programme, organised in collaboration with the Space
Science and Geospatial Institute and supported by the International
Astronomical Union Office of Astronomy for Education.
The
programme was officially opened by the Deputy Director General of the Space
Science and Geospatial Institute, Dr Yeshurun, and the Managing Director of the
Ethiopian Space Science Society, Kirubel Menberu. The training was delivered by
a team of international and local experts, including Dr Rubén García Benito and
Dr Enrique Pérez Montero, Professor Mirjana Pović of the Instituto de
Astrofísica de Andalucía in Spain, Nebiyu Suleyman from the IAU Office of
Astronomy for Education National Astronomy Education Centre, and Kirubel
Menberu.
The
sessions introduced participants to innovative and inclusive teaching
approaches designed to enhance astronomy education. These included the CosMonic
Sonification Project, which uses sound to represent astronomical data, and the
Astroaccesible outreach initiative aimed at making astronomy more accessible to
diverse learners.
Teachers
participated in hands-on experiments adapted from the Network for Astronomy
School Education and worked with tactile learning materials to better convey
complex scientific concepts. In collaboration with Enzirt Engineering and the
SSGI Ethiopian Space Knowledge Centre, the programme incorporated 3D-printed
models of the Sun, the night sky, and constellations to support experiential
learning.
According
to ESSS, the initiative reinforces its commitment, alongside its partners, to
promoting inclusive science education and ensuring that students with visual
and hearing impairments have equitable opportunities to engage with and explore
astronomy.
