CLARF Hosts Nabisunsa Girls’ School for Experiential Bioscience Learning at COVAB
On 24th April 2026, the Central Laboratory and Animal Research Facility (CLARF), with support from the Secretariat for Science, Technology, and Innovation – Office of the President (STI – OP), hosted at the Center for Global Biosecurity and Molecular Technology (COVAB), Makerere University, welcomed Form 6 students from Nabisunsa Girls’ School for a comprehensive, hands-on bioscience learning experience.
The visit forms part of CLARF’s broader Schools Bioscience Skills Support initiative, designed to enhance science education through practical exposure and experiential learning.
During the visit, students toured the Biosafety Level 2 (BSL-2) and Biosafety Level 3 (BSL-3) laboratories, gaining insight into high-level biosafety environments and the critical role they play in infectious disease research and control and vaccine and diagnostic tools development. The students also visited the Central Diagnostic Laboratory (CDL), where they were introduced to modern diagnostic technologies and laboratory workflows.
A major component of the program included practical exposure to histopathology techniques, enabling students to understand tissue processing, staining, and microscopic analysis. In addition, CLARF experts delivered sessions on the ethical use of laboratory animals, highlighting international best practices and introducing students to Specific Pathogen-Free (SPF) rats as essential tools in biomedical research.
The program also incorporated a career guidance session, where students were exposed to a wide range of academic programs and career pathways in biosciences, biotechnology, veterinary medicine, and related disciplines at Makerere University.
This successful engagement underscores CLARF’s commitment to advancing science education in Uganda and inspiring the next generation of scientists.
CLARF is set to officially roll out the Schools Bioscience Skills (SBS) Program to schools across the country, extending this impactful model of experiential learning to both students and educators nationwide.