Nearly 120 teachers gathered at the Directorate of School Education on Monday for the one-day workshop held by Pondicherry Science Forum (PSF) to get trained in guiding students on science projects.
Pondicherry Science Forum (PSF) has been organising the National Children’s Science Congress (NCSC) for the past 23 years in collaboration with the State Training Centre, Directorate of School Education.
Teachers of government and private schools from middle to higher secondary sections participated in this programme.
This programme is conducted under the National Council for Science and Technology Communication, Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India, and is carried out all over India. In this, about one million children take part every year.
A. Hemavathi, General Secretary, PSF, said this programme provides a platform for the teachers to get trained to help students do science projects. District level science congress will be held in October where nearly 30 projects would be selected. Out of the 30 projects, at least 16 projects would contest at the State Level Science Congress. Of this, one or two projects would be taken to the national level.
It may be noted that teachers guide team of child scientists of age 10 to 17 years to do mini research projects under a focal theme which is relevant to the school or residential neighbourhood.
Focal theme
This year, the focal theme for NCSC has been fixed as ‘Science, Technology and Innovation for Sustainable Development’ by Government of India. To orient the guide teachers towards this focal theme, a one-day training programme was held.
The workshop was inaugurated by the Director of School Education, L. Kumar.
V. Ranganathan, Officer on Special Duty, State Training Centre; R. Dakshinamurthy, vice president, PSF; A. Hemavathi, General Secretary, PSF District NCSC Coordinator; N. Arun District Academic Coordinator; Mangaiyarkarasi State Coordinator; S. Segar, State Academic Coordinator and D. Aravindaraja, teacher of the Artchouna Soupraya Naikar Government Middle School, Mudaliarpet took part.
