The Honeywell Science Experience program aims to benefit more than 48,000 students and 200 teachers in and around Bangalore, Delhi, and Gurgaon by 2019
India CSR News Network
NEW DELHI: Agastya International Foundation (Agastya) and Honeywell India have partnered to launch Honeywell Science Experience — an integrated learning program to cultivate curiosity, nurture creativity, and instill confidence among middle and high school students in government schools.
Honeywell India will support 11 science centers, 10 mobile science labs, and 1,100 young instructor leaders, benefiting more than 48,000 students and 200 teachers in in Bangalore, Gurgaon and Delhi from 2016 to 2019. Curiosity, creativity, and confidence are critical life skills that can help children and teachers to excel in life.
The program aims to spark, nurture, and instill these qualities to help develop creativethinking and problem-solving abilities in children. Through its uniquely scalable, hands-on teachinglearning methods, the program aims to foster child and teacher participation in experiential learning, and boost science education.
Speaking at the launch event, chief guest Dr. Anil Kakodkar, Indian nuclear scientist and former Chairman, Atomic Energy Commission of India; former Secretary, Government of India; and former Director, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre said, “The current state of education in India requires qualitative upgradation through well-designed student-centric constructivist education in which experiential learning is a key component. It is encouraging to see Agastya International Foundation and Honeywell India undertaking this initiative to promote experiential science education. I would like to congratulate them and look forward to seeing successful implementation of the program.”
Ramji Raghavan, Founder and Chairman, Agastya, said, “We run one of the world’s largest hands-on science education programs for economically disadvantaged children and teachers. Support from partners like Honeywell helps us create the right infrastructure, and get practical technology inputs to make such a program sustainable and effective.”
Vikas Chadha, President, Honeywell India, added, “As a responsible corporate citizen, Honeywell is committed to improving the world we live in by creating, supporting, and nurturing programs and initiatives that serve a the community. Honeywell has a long history of promoting unique science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education programs around the world.
Agastya International Foundation and Honeywell India share a common vision, and we are pleased to partner with Agastya to scale up the impact for experiential science education in India for the long term.” Agastya believes that innovative, fun, and student-friendly solutions are needed to enable scientific learning among children, especially those in rural and remote regions. The foundation’s programs have already benefited more than eight million children and 200,000 teachers in 18 states in India.