Teaching science by the sea: Municipality of Oeiras and "Engenharia para Todos” empower teachers and students of Príncipe Island

It was still early morning when a group of dedicated educators and excited students gathered on the small piscatorial sandy beach in front of Abade Elementary School. Surrounded by the lush northeastern forests of Príncipe Island, each student’s eyes sparkled as they opened a big ocean-blue box filled with a treasure trove of fun scientific experiments. They were there for the “Engenharia para Todos” (“Engineering for All”) training sessions, a project aimed at transforming education through hands-on science.

At the end of January, a delegation from the Department of Education of the Municipality of Oeiras (Município de Oeiras), organised an educational mission to the equatorial São Tomé e Príncipe archipelago to provide in-person training to 40 local teachers. The delegation included the Education Councilor of the Municipality of Oeiras, Pedro Patacho, and five trainers in the areas of Portuguese, Mathematics, Sciences, Arts, and Project Work, who promoted innovative methodologies to improve the quality of education in the region.

In the field of Sciences, the mission was headed by INESC-ID’s Maria João Verdasca, manager of “Engenharia para Todos” – a project by Instituto Superior Técnico and INESC-ID, in partnership with the Municipality of Oeiras – who introduced the former Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência’s Lab in a Box kit, now relaunched and driven by the project.

“The transformative power of education was evident in every child’s smile and in the teachers’ dedication to embracing new ways of teaching,” proudly comments Maria João Verdasca.

During two intense weeks, each of the five trainers worked daily with two classes in the morning, covering a total of nearly 1500 children. In the afternoons, they held training sessions with the teachers, discussing new pedagogical strategies and sharing good educational practices.

Beyond the classroom, the delegation led by Pedro Patacho was received by the President of the Regional Government of Príncipe, Filipe Nascimento, and met with the Regional Secretary of Education, Fátima Cassandra, to discuss the island’s educational needs and future collaborations. The vibrant local culture and the island’s natural beauty provided the perfect backdrop and inspiration for these important exchanges of ideas.

At the end of the training, the teachers received their diplomas from the hands of the President of the Regional Government himself, in a joyful celebration that brought together teachers, trainers, and students, with the aroma of traditional snacks filling the air.

According to Maria João, “the impact of the training was noticeable in small but significant changes in pedagogical practices, such as better organisation of the school space and more dynamic and participatory classes”, and very soon, 10 out of the 40 trained teachers will come to Portugal to spend a week in Oeiras, observing the local teachers in their teaching dynamics.

This initiative highlights our commitment to innovate in education, promote inclusion, and support sustainable development through knowledge.