Sonam Wangchuk, the man who inspired Aamir Khan to play the ‘Phunsukh Wangdu’ character in the sensational film “Three Idiots” is planning to set up a Mountain University in Ladhak in Jammu and Kashmir to engage students to provide real life solutions to the problems of the mountainous regions.
Innovative teacher
The 50-year old innovative teacher, whose character in “Three Idiots” has become talk of the nation, feels education system needs to change a lot where kids have to be engaged to find solutions to real like problems.
It is easier for the institutions to prepare at the school level as they spend 16 years of their life in school.
‘Instead, we ask them to find solutions in a short time when they grow up rather than preparing them from the school level itself.”
Mr. Wangchuk was here to share his views with the principals of top schools in the country at the 77th Indian Public Schools Conference (IPSC) being hosted by the Hyderabad Public School, Begumpet.
He wants to attract funds from private players though he will pump in money he earned from the Rolex Awards initially. He recently bagged the Rolex Awards for Enterprise 2016 for his innovation of Ice Stupas.
Ultimately the Government will have a role to play in this dream project, which he thinks will redefine higher education.
Well-known concept
Mr. Wanchuk’s Students’ Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh (SECMOL) is already a well-known concept that is open for students who have ‘failed’ in their studies.
It educates students on experiential learning and is drawn from his own life experience.
His father wanted him to be a civil engineer while his interest was in mechanical engineering. Sonam Wangchuk, had to move out of his house to realise his dream and in the process set up SECMOL to give wings to the thoughts of many kids whose aptitude and attitude is similar to his thinking as a kid.
Speaking to the principals, Mr. Wangchuk stressed on the importance of working and learning citing the example of Japan where teachers and children come early to the school and clean it themselves before the school starts.
Sonam Wangchuk, felt children should not be treated as a prince or princess but should be supported to learn the way they want.
