Sanjay Mathrani
Karachi: Sindh Education Minister Zahid Ali Abbasi has announced that Sindh School Education and Literary Department (SELD) will launch Middle Teach Steam for informal and non-formal education, Internet of Things and plans to reform the examination system to emphasize creative thinking. Another initiative will be the introduction of younger scientists to elementary schools. To achieve this, SELD will recruit specialist science teachers for these schools. Each school will have three specialized teachers: one for computer science and two for general science subjects.
Speaking at STEAM Symposium 2024 organized by Thar Education Alliance (TEA), in collaboration with School Education and Literacy Department (SELD), Reform Support Unit (RSU) and UNICEF in Karachi.
SELD has always supported initiatives that inspire students. He expressed his admiration for the excellent performance of students from government schools in remote areas, especially in science projects. Despite many challenges and missing links in the education system, Abbasi emphasized that with the support of partners and organizations like Thar Education Alliance, they have successfully fostered It was a great success for SELD and its supporting partners and opened up new avenues in STEAM education. More than 12,000 students have participated in these festivals and more events are planned for the future. All participants are encouraged to visit schools and inspire potential as a “STEAM Safer”. Every child has the spirit and potential to excel.
UNICEF’s Asif Abrar said the aim of the symposium is to review the recommendations of experts at the festival and suggest appropriate steps to address them. In addition, it aims to recognize the achievements of adolescents and young people, especially noting the great interest of female students in remote, marginalized communities.
Mads Sorensen, UNICEF Regional Advisor for Youth Participation, Skills and Employability, said it was exciting to witness students’ talent in STEAM. Young people need the support of equal opportunities because they are the leaders of today and tomorrow. They have dreams, and organizations like ours must ensure that those dreams come true.
Partab Shivani, CEO, Thar Education Alliance (TEA), said their journey began at Mithi in Tharparkar in 2017 with a one-day science festival. The event became a major activity for the city and prompted the TEA to organize similar festivals in different parts of the region, eventually culminating in the Sindh Science Festival in Karachi. Appreciating the success of these festivals, Sindh Education Minister Syed Sardar Ali Shah suggested that they be organized in every district of Sindh.
Shivani noted that this symposium is the result of all these festivals and that it will give a significant boost as the new budget will be announced soon and will include the recommendations of experts from these events. It is commendable that the Department of Education has recently called for tenders for science centers in various regions of Sindh, a recommendation that has emerged from science festivals.
These efforts have yielded 18 young scientists, and with the support of UNICEF, RSU, SELD and the STEAM Working Committee, more scientists will be trained. These young scientists are stars that will shine even brighter in the future.
During a panel discussion on ‘Technical Dialogue with STEAM Experts’, speakers including Sana Kazimi, Abdul Majeed Bhurt, Afia Salem, Azmat Hafeez and others said that the government is making progress. However, they emphasized the urgent need for a dedicated STEAM education policy to be initiated by the Sindh government. They pointed out that in remote areas of Sindh, where students often dislike math, there is a critical need for trained STEAM teachers who can inspire students and foster a love of learning.
They noted that there is an abundance of talent, as evidenced by the innovation and energy displayed by students at the festival and symposium. However, it is crucial to invest in channeling this knowledge into the right paths. While SELD’s Science Lab initiative and the hiring of subject-specific teachers are positive steps, there are still many gray areas that need to be addressed.
Around 18 stories of winning students from three festivals were presented at the event. The diverse participation boosted the confidence of each student as he came from a humble background. Despite their circumstances, their science projects and level of understanding were amazing. In the closing ceremony of the event, shields and prizes were distributed among the students and speakers.
