Social and Religious Studies

Key unit competence: Recognise the importance of types and means of transport

and communication and how to preserve them.

                                                               Learning objectives

At the end of this unit, you should be able to:

Knowledge and understanding

     • Give different types and means of transport.

     • Give different types and means of communication.

Skills

      • Explain different forms of transport and their importance.

      • Find out dangers and difficulties of transport and measures to overcome them.

      • Explain different forms of communication and their importance.

      • Find out dangers and difficulties of communication and measures to overcome them.

Attitudes and values

      • Acknowledge the importance of transport in our district.

      • Show concern about proper use of roads.

      • Acknowledge the importance of communication in our district.

      • Show concern about proper public communication.

Introductory activity

 Look at the pictures before you answer the questions. 

    1 . How do people get from one place to another?

    2. Which types of transport have you used?

    3. What do you listen to on the radio?

     4. How does the radio help us to get news?

9.1 Transport

We use transport to get from one place to another. We also use transport to move goods from one place to another.

9.1.1 Types and means of transport

There are many different methods of transport we can use such as road, water, air, railway and animal. 

The type of transport we use will depend on where we live and how quickly we want to travel.

For example if we want to go from Kigali in Rwanda to Nairobi in Kenya it will be quickest and easiest to use an aeroplane. Rwanda has a national airline, Rwanda Air.

If we want to transport vegetables from our farm in the mountain to sell in the nearest village, 

we may decide to use a van or even a donkey.

Activity

1. Look at the pictures below. For each picture, say what type of transport it is.

2. Which of the types of transport carry passengers?

3. Which of the types of transport carry goods?

4. Draw different types of transport.

9.1.2 Importance of transport

We need transport to go to places. Some places are too far away for us to walk. 

We use transport to bring and send goods to other districts in Rwanda and to other countries.

Imagine if we had no transport! How would you get from Karongi to Muhanga?

How would we get food, clothes and supplies from one district to the next? How would tourists visit us? 

How would you visit the national parks? If you live in a big city like Kigali, how would you get from your home to the city centre?

Without transport, we would not develop and grow as a country. We would be cut off from each other. 

Our economy would suffer.

9.1.3 Difficulties and dangers of transport 

Transport can be difficult to use because:

    • it may be expensive; many people cannot afford air travel or cars

   • the roads may be damaged from rain or overuse: often a province does not have the money to repair roads

   • some mountainous areas are difficult to reach and no transport may be available

   • boats on lakes and rivers are often overloaded and can capsize

   • goods can get lost or stolen whilst being transported.

Transport can be dangerous because crashes and accidents may happen. For example, a tyre can burst, a vehicle can overturn or two vehicles can collide. This means they crash into each other.

    • A minibus with too many passengers might crash.

   • Some vehicles go too fast. This is called over speeding. 

   • Some vehicles are not roadworthy. This means they are broken. If the brakes do not work, the driver cannot slow down.

    • Some passengers do not use safety belts.

   • Some car drivers do not respect bicycles and bump into them.

   • The drivers of big delivery trucks could be tired and fall asleep while driving. 

   • Some pedestrians and animals walk in the road. They cause crashes.

    • When the weather is bad, it is difficult to drive.

    • Sometimes robberies happen on the road.

   • Not respecting road post.

9.1.4 Measures to overcome difficulties related to transport

In Rwanda we can use the following measures to overcome the difficulties

related to transport:

    • Construction of more airports and airfields

   • District leaders and the people in our province can work together to maintain roads in good conditions.

We can avoid the dangers relating to transport by:

   • Not overloading vehicles and boats.

   • Wearing lifejackets on water transport

   • Learning how to drive properly before getting a car or van.

   • Not driving after taking alcohol

   • Keeping vehicles in good mechanical condition.

   • Respecting regulations of transport.

Exercise

     1. Discuss the difficulties and dangers of transport.

     2. Explain how to overcome these difficulties.

Activity

Identify acceptable behaviour on the road. Share your ideas with the class.

9.2 Communication

Communication is when we give and receive messages and information. 

This happens when we listen and talk to each other. It means we share news and information.

9.2.1Types and means of communication

There are different types of communication. Look at these examples. 

    • We talk to each other face to face. 

   • We telephone each other. We use landline telephones or mobile phones. We can also SMS each other on mobile phones.

   • We use the media. The media includes radio, television (TV), newspapers and the internet.

   • We listen to the radio. This gives us news and information. It also entertains us. We listen to stories. 

   • We write letters to each other. We post the letters. 

   • We can also use the internet to send emails.

Activity 

Look at the pictures on page 95.

    1. Name the different types of communication.

     2. Make your own drawings of the different ways we can communicate. 

     Show your drawings to the class.

9.2.2 Importance of communication

We need communication so that we can talk to each other. We use communication to share messages and information. 

We need it to do business and to learn. We need communication otherwise we will be isolated. 

This means we will be cut off from everybody else.

Imagine a world with no communication. What would happen if there was no warning about a storm coming? 

How would people know?

How would you talk to your family members in another village or town?

How would you learn about what is happening in other places in your

district and in the rest of Rwanda? How would you learn about other people

in other countries? How would businesses advertise their goods?

Exercise

   1. Why is communication important? Give reasons for your answers.

   2. What do you think a world with no communication would be like?

   3. Take turns to present short one-minute speeches on the importance of communication.

9.2.3 Difficulties and dangers of communication

It can be difficult to communicate:

   • Not everybody speaks the same language.

   • Communication can be expensive. For example, a computer and internet access cost money. 

   • Using a mobile phone also costs a lot of money. In some rural areas there are no telephone lines. 

Some rural areas are not connected to landline phones, so people have to use mobile phones.

    • People can send bad messages. These can harm others. 

     • Thieves can steal your name and bank information. 

     • Lies or incorrect information can easily be spread by media. 

This can lead to misunderstandings and even war.

9.2.4 How to overcome communication difficulties 

Think about how we can solve the problems of communication. Here are a few ideas.

    • Make mobile phone costs cheaper. Give everybody access to mobile phones or landlines.

    • Make the internet cheap and available to everybody.

    • Teach people to be responsible when they use the media. Never spread lies. 

          The media must tell the truth.

Activity 

    1. Discuss the difficulties and dangers of communication.

    2. Suggest how to overcome the difficulties and dangers of communication. Present your ideas to the class.

Activity

Imagine you are a social worker working with people who are living with disabilities. 

A social worker is a person who supports and helps other people.

    1. How would you help people who cannot see to cross busy roads? 

   2. How would you help people who cannot hear to communicate? 

   3. How would you help people who cannot walk to get into a minibus taxi?

Self-assessment

Make sure that you are able to do the following.

   1. Explain how to use transport and communication in a responsible way.

   2. Say how using transport and communication in a responsible way will prevent danger and difficulties.

End unit assessment

1. Identify two important places in our district.

 2. Describe two of our public assets. 

3. List two problems our important places in the district have. 

4. Suggest two ways in which we can preserve our important places. 

5. List four elements of weather.

 6. List two instruments you can use to measure weather. 

7. Describe two problems caused by weather. 

8. Give one example of flora. 9. Give one example of fauna. 

10. Explain how we can preserve our fauna. 

11. Define population. 

12. Define population census.

13. Describe how a population census is conducted. 

14. List four different types of transport. 

15. Describe two acceptable behaviours on the road.