Guwahati: Assam education minister Ranoj Pegu attended the valedictory ceremony of STEM education training of Samagra Shiksha Assam residential teacher’s training programme of teachers form the government and government provincialized schools of Assam.

The 6 days programme was conducted under the aegis of ministry of education’s Samagra Shikha Assam programme by the Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati for the government and government provincialized schools of Assam.

As many as 1000 teachers took part in the STEM training program from 30th November to 5th December 2023.

Other dignitaries included Sanjoy Dutta, executive director, Sarva Siksha Abhiyan  
Prof. Parameswar K. Iyer, dean of Public Relations, Branding and Ranking, and Prof. A. S. Achalkumar, Dean, Outreach Education Programme (OEP) of Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, IIT Guwahati, among others.

Speaking about SSA’s Teachers’ Training Program at IIT Guwahati, Dr. Ranoj Pegu, Hon’ble Education Minister of Assam, said,  “The purpose of this training program is to encourage and motivate our school students to pursue science and mathematics in higher education. I am confident that this 6-day residential training conducted and hosted by IIT Guwahati will empower our teachers to make these subjects more accessible to our young students of Assam.”

Prof. Parameswar K. Iyer, Dean of Public Relations, Branding and Ranking of  IIT Guwahati said that the institute is collaborating closely with the Education Department of Assam to enhance the quality of STEM education. This initiative involves training teachers from schools and colleges, enhancing conceptual learning by developing laboratory experimental tools and kits, classroom teaching methodologies, and offering exposure opportunities to thousands of students through lab visits and hands-on learning. The overarching goal of this collaboration is to revolutionise the overall quality of STEM education in the state.”

The purpose of this residential program was to revamp teaching pedagogy and bring in quality STEM education at the school level of Assam. During the program, the teachers were trained in Physics, Electronics, Coding, Robotics, Artificial Intelligence, Biology and biotechnology, chemistry and materials science, mental wellness and mindfulness, and 3D Printing as well as on how to teach the students and further operate the tinkering labs in the state.

Teachers from as many as 13 districts of the state participated in this residential training program at IIT Guwahati including Baksa, Barpeta, Bongaigaon, Chirang, Dhubri, Goalpara, Kamrup(M), Kamrup, Kokrajhar, Nalbari, South Salamara, West Karbi Anglong, and Karbi Anglong.

ALSO READ: History made: First women-led start-up from Sikkim attracts foreign investment