You can’t learn 21st-century science just by sitting in a lecture hall and talking to each other. True learning happens when you get your boots dirty, step into the field, and see how things actually work. Our biology education majors from the School of Education, Humanities, and Social Sciences (SEHSS),recently wrapped up an intensive academic tour of Western Kenya. Led on the ground by, Lecturer in Biology at the Department of Education (Science), designed the entire trip around a singular, practical goal: get out of the classroom, get away from the whiteboards, and build real-world, hands-on skills.
The tour offered a deep dive into the practical side of Kenyan agriculture and research, beginning at the Kenya Sugar Research and Training Institute in Kisumu. There, the team moved straight into the labs to study the actual science behind sugarcane production, crop disease management, and soil analysis. From Kisumu, the group travelled to Bukura Agricultural College, shifting their focus to community-level farming technologies and getting a first-hand look at how a large-scale agricultural college handles its daily field operations.
The momentum picked up significantly in Kitale at the Agricultural Development Corporation (ADC) Livestock Genetics Centre, which served as a major highlight for the students' animal science coursework. Once inside the laboratories and processing bays, the experience became intensely practical. The students spent their time huddled around heavy industrial machinery, monitoring pressure gauges, and working directly with specialised genetic preservation equipment.
To wrap up the expedition, the students swapped the structured laboratory environment for the dense, living canopy of Kakamega Forest. Walking the trails of Kenya’s only remaining tropical rainforest, they used the environment as an open-air classroom to study unique plant species, indigenous birds, and complex ecological relationships. It provided a powerful lesson in biodiversity and conservation that you simply cannot replicate on a classroom whiteboard.
At ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ, we don’t believe in keeping science locked away in a textbook. Sending our students out into the field gives them a definitive competitive edge, transforming them into skill-oriented graduates who know exactly what to do the moment they transition into the professional job market. This trip proved that our future educators and scientists are fully equipped for the real world.
We extend our sincere gratitude to the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Henry Kiptiony, on behalf of the university management board, for their unwavering support in making this impactful experiential learning expedition possible. Special thanks to Prof. Gladys Kiptiony, Dean of the School of Education, Humanities, and Social Sciences (SEHSS).
