2,441 schools selected for establishing Atal Tinkering Labs : Minister

Speed Post News Network

New Delhi : The Ministry of Human Resource Development (HRD) has launched the Rashtriya Avishkar Abhiyan (RAA), a convergent framework across School Education and Higher Education, to encourage children towards learning Science and Mathematics through activities related to Science and Mathematics.

Some of the interventions under RAA for promotion of science include strengthening of school Science and Mathematics laboratories, Science Fair/Exhibition and Talent Search at district level, provision of mathematics and science kits to schools, visit of students to higher educational institutions and learning enhancement of students.

During last three years, an amount of Rs 952.47 crore has been approved for in- service Teacher training of Maths and Science teachers at upper primary level, learning enhancement programme, computer aided learning and innovations under Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA). Further, an amount of Rs 425.39 crore has been approved for in-service training of science and maths teachers, remedial teaching, provision of science and maths kits, science exhibitions etc under Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA).

NITI Aayog under the Atal Innovation Mission is establishing Atal Tinkering Laboratories (ATLs) in schools across India. The objective of this scheme is to foster curiosity, creativity and imagination in young minds and inculcate skills such as design mindset, computational thinking, adaptive learning, physical computing etc in them. Till date, 2,441 schools have been selected across the country to establish ATLs.

The National Curriculum Framework (NCF) 2005 had suggested a paradigm shift in science education in India. As per NCF 2005, inquiry skills should be supported and strengthened by language, design and quantitative skills. Schools should place much greater emphasis on activities aimed at stimulating investigative ability, inventiveness, creativity and transfer of learning in varied situations. The perspective of NCF-2005, on science has been translated into syllabi, textbooks and teacher support material developed by the National Council Of Educational Research And Training (NCERT).

This information was given by the Minister of State (HRD) Upendra Kushwaha on April 5, 2018, in a written reply to a Rajya Sabha question.