In a significant stride toward experiential science education, a Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) workshop was organized for the first time in the Balurghat region at Ayodhya Kalidasi Vidyaniketan, marking a quiet but consequential moment for rural pedagogy in South Dinajpur.
The two-day workshop, held on January 27 and 28, was conducted under the stewardship of the Kolkata-based Dinabandhu Trust, a non-profit organization engaged in educational outreach. The program brought together ten teachers from two local institutions—Ayodhya Kalidasi Vidyaniketan and Balurghat High School—both of which have recently been equipped with basic STEM infrastructure through the Trust’s initiative in Dakshin Dinajpur district.
The sessions were led in the presence of Shaibal Mitra, Secretary of the Dinabandhu Trust, and the noted scientist Ramendralal Mukherjee. Over the course of the workshop, participating educators were introduced to a range of hands-on scientific demonstrations and pedagogical tools, including experiments on air pressure, the use of simple microscopes, and science-based illusion techniques designed to spark curiosity and conceptual understanding among students.
Teachers of mathematics, physical science, and life science described the experience as both invigorating and transformative. Many noted that this was their first exposure to structured, practice-oriented STEM training and emphasized its potential to reshape classroom instruction by moving beyond rote learning toward inquiry-driven education.
The workshop was formally inaugurated by Nandita Das, Headmistress of Ayodhya Kalidasi Vidyaniketan. Speaking at the event, Tuhinshubhra Mondal, the district’s nodal teacher for STEM initiatives, underscored the broader vision behind the program.“At present, this initiative has been launched in two schools in Dakshin Dinajpur,” he said. “Our hope is to gradually expand this model to other institutions, ensuring that hands-on science education reaches a wider student population. The fundamental objective is to cultivate scientific temper, curiosity, and a sustained love for science.”
While modest in scale, the workshop reflects a growing recognition that meaningful educational reform often begins far from metropolitan centers. In districts like Dakshin Dinajpur, where access to advanced resources remains limited, such initiatives signal an emerging commitment to democratizing scientific literacy—one classroom at a time.
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