The Vaanavil Manram or STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) on Wheels programme was launched by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin for government school students on Monday, November 28. The scheme aims to promote scientific and mathematical knowledge among the pupils.
The scheme was flagged off at the Government Adi Dravidar Girls Higher Secondary School located in Kattur, Tiruchy. The programme aims to achieve its goal through practical experiments and it is meant particularly for students from Classes VI to VIII, as per a report by The New Indian Express.
Tamil Nadu School Education Minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi, speaking at the launch event, said that the programme would cover around 25 lakh students, and a fund of Rs 25,000 crore had been allocated for it. He added that around 710 STEM resource persons had been selected for the training purpose. "They would be carrying with them the materials and resources required for the experiments and they would be engaging with the students, by teaching them and explaining the experiments," he said further.
"The STEM on Wheels programme would facilitate the easy transfer of scientific knowledge and which in turn would empower students to succeed in science and mathematics-related fields. The teachers of the schools could also benefit from the programme by involving with the resource persons and learning from the new teaching techniques and methods," Poyyamozhi stated, as per TNIE.
At the launch event of STEM on Wheels programme
During the launch event, CM Stalin visited a classroom and looked at the experiments that were designed and exhibited by the students. Tamil Nadu Municipal Administration Minister KN Nehru, MP Tiruchi Siva, SU Thirunavukarasar, Tiruchy City Mayor M Anbazhagan, School Education Department Commissioner K Nanthakumar, Tiruchy District Collector M Pradeep Kumar and other concerned people were also present at the event.
The students also seem excited during the programme. M Mehar Nisha, a Class VIII student said that she was interested in learning from the resource persons as they were carrying new and interesting tools with them, which inspired her and her classmates to learn and do the experiments on their own, as per TNIE.
