News

Makutano Junction a hit with teachers and pupls

‘The kids love it. We love it. It’s a great resource.’

Geography teacher, South Craven

There has been a transformation in the students in just two weeks of using MJ. They have moved from ‘we want to remain ignorant’ to ‘we need to know more’.

RS teacher, Bradford Grammar

It’s more realistic seeing a Kenyan soap opera, rather than English people going over there and talking about Kenya.

Yr 7 student, Upper Wharfedale

MJ makes things real in another part of the world. Even though it’s set in Kenya we can relate to it.

Yr 8 student, Upper Wharfedale

There are similar attitudes, relationships and experiences to those you find in Britain.

Yr 10 student, Bradford Grammar

I’ve learnt that Kenya is a developed community and that some areas of Africa are not poverty stricken.

Yr 8 student, South Craven

Makutano Junction now available

Makutano Junction aims to entertain and educate English-speaking African audiences. Eight series have been produced [each series has thirteen half hour episodes each] and the first four are being used now in five secondary schools in our local area - Ingleton Middle, Upper Wharfedale, South Craven, Nidderdale High and Bradford Grammar.

It was conceived as a means of disseminating valuable information through an entertaining and engaging medium. In Kenya Makutano Junction viewers regularly identify issues of interest to them, e.g. rights and responsibilities of good citizens, which are then incorporated into storylines.

Thanks to funding from DFID, the producers of Makutano Junction, Mediae, have teamed up with Just Ideas, DEC’s and teachers from across the UK to devise innovative teaching materials which help develop the global dimension across the curriculum. See www.makutanojunction.org.uk In this area teachers are using these excellent materials in KS3 and KS4 lessons in RE, Geography, Science, PHSCE, Modern World Studies, English and Drama.

Makutano Junction supports the Global Dimension in the curriculum. Potential themes include social justice, human rights, health and relationships as well as comparisons between soaps in the UK and Kenya.

Activities can be used at KS3 and KS4 and cover several of the new cross curriculum dimensions:

• Global dimension and sustainable development
• Identities and cultural diversity
• Technology and the media

At the moment there are 15 activities on the website with five more coming soon. In addition there are clips from Makutano Junction available online with lots and lots of related teaching materials, character profiles and family trees. The catchy theme tune that introduces Makutano Junction once heard is difficult to forget.

The online resources are accessible to any school to use. A full set of DVD’s covering the fifty-two episodes included in the first four series is available to loan from Craven DEC.

Resource request form >>

Set design by pupils at Ingleton Primary School, from work around Makutano juncion.