An initiative that will impact over 12,000 children over a year, with a focus on girl child; and train 125 teachers for stimulating science education through experience and practical mentoring
IndiaCSR News Network
GURGAON: As part of its social convergence initiative, Ingersoll Rand has partnered with Agastya International Foundation to officially announce the launch of a Science Centre at Govt. Girls Senior Secondary School, Jacobpura in Gurgaon on April 30, 2014.
The Centre has been launched to help benefit economically disadvantaged children in remote, rural areas, with a special focus on the girl child and teachers. Through innovative and unique hands-on science education, the Science Center aims to foster creativity amongst children and provide them with the learning tools and confidence to overcome their constraints.
The science center was inaugurated in presence of Dhirendra Singh, IAS, former Union Home Secretary, Alok Verma, Director – Prarambh & CEO Utkarsh Society, Venkatesh Valluri, Chairman and President Ingersoll Rand India along with Sheel Kumari, Principal, GGSSS, Jacobpura and K. Thyagrajan, Chief Operating Officer, Agastya International.
The Science Centre has been in operation since September 2013 and has been instrumental in providing science education through hands-on methodologies to students and teachers as well as inspiring them in the concepts of Science, Ecology and Mathematics. Since its inception, the centre has successfully touched the lives of over 8000 beneficiaries by conducting special training activities including project and discovery based learning, integrated learning, science fairs etc.
Today, the Centre proves to be of great impetus for students and teachers in the vicinity, and aims to reach out to 12,000 children and train 125 teachers by year end 2014.
Ingersoll Rand is supporting the Agastya Foundation team with essential equipment, training of staff, infrastructure cost and expertise for imparting science education through innovative means.
Commenting on the initiative, Venkatesh Valluri, Chairman & President, Ingersoll Rand India said, “At Ingersoll Rand, we are committed to good corporate citizenship and believe that advancing the quality of life requires taking an active role in addressing social issues that impact our organization and the communities we operate in.
This Science Centre is a step ahead towards creating social value through educational support for economically disadvantaged children in remote areas and furthering science literacy in the bright minds of this country. Our partnership with Agastya is an example of how we believe the public-private sector can socially converge to deliver immense value to our society.”
“I believe that the private sector can help develop the educational institutions and provide infrastructure and that the government today needs to build the curriculum and run them. While the content of what is taught is important, equally important is the efficacy of the delivery system and the teaching technologies. The initiative taken by Ingersoll Rand towards facilitating modern education and contributing towards uplifting the underprivileged sections of the society is commendable”, shared Dhirendra Singh, IAS, former Union Home Secretary.
“We are delighted to collaborate with Ingersoll Rand on this initiative intended to bring quality science education to a targeted group of children and teachers. This science center will act as a hub for students and teachers of various schools to congregate and share ideas”, shared K. Thyagarajan, Chief Operating Officer, Agastya International. “With this Centre, we hope to uncover the hidden value of India’s rural population and the importance of providing them with a strong education from their early years”, added Thyagarajan.
The Science Centre will benefit the children and teachers in Jacobpura as well as local schools in the vicinity and enable them to access hands-on, experiential science laboratories to learn cause-effect thinking within their environment. Through this project, children will be exposed to innovative and stimulating methods of interactive learning that provides them with a platform to question and express in a comprehensive manner. The Science Centre at Jacobpura’s Govt. Girls Senior Secondary School will function as a resource centre, teacher training center and a venue for Agastya’s special science fairs and training activities like project based learning, discovery based learning, integrated learning, summer camps etc.
