Continuing the mission to make quality education accessible for all, the Thar Foundation in collaboration with Pakistan Space Science Education Centre organized a science festival in New Senhri Dars, Jeewan Das campus, some 70 kilometers away from Mithi.
Thar’s 1st Maker & Science Expo is the culmination of a three-phased training through hands-on science and project-based learning using STEAM (Science Technology Engineering Art Math) methodologies. This collaborative effort of Pakistan’s leading corporations and public sector organizations, along with academia, is aimed at promoting critical thinking and enriching the learning experience of teachers and students of Thar Foundation schools in the region.
The expo was inaugurated by a girl student of Thar Foundation school, Sindh Engro Coal Mining Company (SECMC) Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Syed Abul Fazal Rizvi, Tharparkar Deputy Commissioner Shahzad Thahim and Thar Foundation Manager Education Sabeen Shah.
The guests visited various science stalls and took a keen interest in the presentations given by the students explaining their prototypes. The projects encouraged children to utilize their learning to develop sustainable and innovative solutions that could help solve some of Thar’s problems.
Commenting on the exhibition, Abul Fazal Rizvi – CEO of SECMC and Thar Foundation said: “Thar Foundation has adopted the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a model for inclusive development and creating broad-based impact across key sectors. The exhibition gels in with our strategy to enhance the provision of a functional schooling experience for children and students of Tharparkar. The region of Thar is in need of such interventions given that the literacy rates stand at abysmally low levels of 52% and 17% for males and females, respectively.”
Given the weak performance of Thar students in the standardized tests of Science and Maths subjects, educational campaigns and events such as Science Festival are playing a key role in bridging the gap between practical study and school curriculum.
