School adopts US model to inspire kids in science

KOLKATA: Bengal is going to get its first STEM-based school in Barrackpore, some 25km from Kolkata, to encourage more children to take up science and arrest the decline in interest in engineering.
STEM — an acronym for ‘science, technology, engineering and mathematics’ — is a US-based teaching method that aims to inspire kids to become engineers rather than dreading the sciences and mathematics as many do now.STEM World School- the Barrackpore school, for instance, will have a STEM laboratory where attendance will be compulsory. The lab can accommodate 30 students at a time.
The STEM World School in Barrackpore will be affiliated to ICSE. Admissions for playgroup to Class VI will start from the 2015-2016 session, say officials.
The emphasis on science comes at a time when projections of a nationwide shortfall of technocrats threaten to hold back India’s progress.
“A recent study by Defence Research and Development Organisation revealed that just 4 out of 1,000 students in India opt for science, technology or research as their career. In contrast, this figure is 110 in Japan, 76 in Germany and 46 in Korea, indicating the dearth of young talent in these vital areas in our country. Because of this, India is at risk of a huge economic crisis, despite being the youngest country demographically,” said Paddy Sharma, a board member of the school. “The main objective in setting up a STEM school in Kolkata is to create critical thinkers, increase science literacy and give rise to the next generation of innovators,” said Hilda Peacock, former principal of La Martiniere for Girls, who is one of the advisors.
According to a survey, India will be facing a shortfall of 1.5 to 2.2 million engineers by 2020, Sharma added.
“Innovation leads to new products and processes that sustain economy. Innovation and science literacy depend on a solid knowledge base in STEM areas. We just need to remind kids that this kind of learning can be fun. We need to introduce children to the basic concepts of science, engineering, technology and mathematics in junior grades and continue with these programmes through high school,” she said. Michael Glanton, Democratic member of Georgia House of Representatives, USA, is one of the advisors.