NAMALANGU SOCIAL SCIENCES DEPARTMENT PROFILE

Namalangu day school is located approximately 3km away from the central business district of Senanga District. It is a school run by the Ministry of general education. Namalangu is a name derived from a big tree species called (local name) Malangu which used to grow at the site. The Malangu fruits were used as traditional bells hence the naming of the school as Namalangu. It literally means ‘of the bells or about the bells’ since the school and the bell (time) are synonymous to some extent.
Geography as a social science is offered at the institution so as to create pupils or learners who understand people, places and environment from a spatial perspective since geography is about space and location. Geography as ingredient of social sciences intends to create learners that have an appreciation of the interdependence of the world they live in such as the school itself, the family and society in general. As if that is not enough geography has an important place among the subjects taught at school. If taught well geography can equip pupils for life and promises many careers ahead, for example teaching, consultancy, lecturing, planners and many other. The geography syllabus being offered at this school is part of wider, selected and organized curriculum.
In line with the national policy on education geography syllabus underwent some major changes such as changes in content, changes in methodology as well as changes in evaluation. Coupled with the pronouncements by the Ministry of Education over Basic and Secondary Schools a Department of Social Science was formed at Namalangu Basic School as it was being transformed into a day school.
The social sciences department at this school just like any other school department came to have interim structures in 2014 after the school was upgraded to secondary status. Before that, the school was running from pre-school to grade nine (9).
Following the ministry of education's pronouncements that some basic school would be turned into secondary school, the school happens to be one of the few fortunate ones to be opened to that status.
The social sciences department, therefore, just like all other school departments, is headed by a head of department (HOD), an officer who is in a managerial scale and it is organized into four sections which are headed by heads of sections (HOS) for administrative convenience. Though this is supposed to be an ideal situation, this school has not yet received a fully and formal recognition of a secondary school as such whatever structures are there are for administrative purposes. The section which follow under social science departments are:
(a) Civic education
(b) Geography
(c) History
(d) Religious Education (RE)
In conformity with the new or revised curriculum, the social sciences department offers four subjects in classes namely; 10 A and 10B; one grade eleven (11) class. Candidates are expected to sit for their final examination in 2016. On average therefore, the total population of pupils for the secondary school section is three hundred and ten (310).
Challenges faced by the department
The same challenges faced by the school are not shelves to the department. Some of these challenges are insufficient or inadequate office accommodation, not having enough teaching/learning material such as books for teachers and pupils and lack of a library facility where teachers and pupils can go to do their research.
Staffing Levels.
As it can be seen from the list attached below and considering the number of classes, one may safely state that the social sciences are well staffed not only in terms of number, but the qualification of the teaching staff or personnel. Include Civic Education, Geography, History, Religious Education (RE) and social studies. Social studies is a junior secondary subject which combines the social science subjects with the exception of Religious Education.
The table on the other page shows all staff members of the social science department and their professional qualification as of June, 2015.a
In an-ideal situation, the HOD is supposed to have an office accommodation all by him or herself. Besides that, each of the four sections is supposed to have specious and well furnished rooms where teachers do their research and prepare for their lesson under the supervision of the HOS. At this school however, the office accommodation is not adequate as such teachers have to share the offices which are available. The HOD and the HOSs have up-to-date records of professional meetings held per term. These continuous professional developmental (CPD) meetings are held to discuss effective ways of teaching in order to improve the learner performance especially in four core subjects of our department. In addition one or two teachers may be selected to give a demonstration lesson. Thereafter, a review meeting is held and depending on the effectiveness of the lesson recommendations are made for the adoption of the lesson plan for use in the department.
Currently (2016) the secondary school sector has two (2) grade eight (8) classes; two (2) grade nine (9) classes correspondingly. Furthermore, the school has two (2) grade five classes. The school is open for development which can come from any stakeholder.