Ever since the operation of science van was brought into the administrative ambit of the Additional Chief Educational Officer - Sarva Siksha Abhiyan from last year, its utility has increased manifold, official sources said.
Till then, the science van, meant to kindle the interest of students in the upper primary level with its laboratory equipment and LCD projector, was under the control of the District Elementary Educational Officer. Though the van was utilised every day, the desired benefit for students could not be ensured. The van was taken to three to four schools in a day and students could at the most only have a glance at it.
It was due to this reason that the responsibility of monitoring the van's operation was brought last year under the daily supervision of the Additional Elementary Educational Officer - Science, under the aegis of SSA. The practice now is that the van should be stationed in a particular school for an entire day. It has to compulsorily be taken to each school thrice a year in four blocks.
This year, the van's utility is being enjoyed in Pullambadi, Mannachanallur, Manikandam and Lalgudi blocks, the AEEO - Science K.Latha told The Hindu .
Not all upper primary schools have graduate teachers. The Block Resource Teachers in Physics, Chemistry and Biology, who keep travelling in the van, play a pivotal role in embedding science concepts in the minds of the students, Ms.Latha said.
Students are easily attracted to the audiovisual elements in the process of dissemination. “We are also exploring possibilities to extend the concept to teach non-science subjects to the students. We now have special software to make students learn Tamil with enthusiasm.”
