‘Lab on Wheels’ programme
Source: By Aranya Shankar: The Indian Express
Delhi Education Minister Manish Sisodia 6 April 2021 inaugurated Delhi Technological University’s ‘Lab on Wheels’ programme. It will have students of the university travelling in a bus across Delhi to teach government school students and underprivileged children.
‘Lab on Wheels’: What is the concept?
The idea is to impart education in the fields of Mathematics and Science to those students who come from marginalised and poor economic backgrounds, in order to pique their interests in these subjects while pursuing higher education. In the end, the hope is that it becomes mutually beneficial, if some of these students decide to take admission in DTU once they finish schooling.
The ‘Lab on Wheels’ will comprise 16 computers, two televisions, one 3D printer, one laptop, cameras and one printer. It will be Wi-Fi enabled, with 100 per cent power back up and fully air-conditioned.
How many volunteers will be teaching, and how many students will this cover?
The programme will initially target 12 schools. The bus will function in three shifts of three hours each from 8 am to 11 am, 11 am to 2 pm and 2 pm to 5 pm. One school will be visited once a week, and continuously for eight weeks, said DTU PRO Anoop Lather. Each shift will have two volunteers (DTU students) teaching 16 students if it’s a computer lab, or 25 students if it’s regular classroom teaching. After eight weeks, a new set of 12 schools will be selected. “If we find it to be a success, we may increase the number of buses too,” said Lather.
What all will be taught in the programme?
Since DTU is a technological university, the focus will be on Mathematics and Science. Some of the things that will be covered include basic computer training to students, regular classwork for Class 10 and 12 students, and 3D printing training.
When does the Lab hit the road, and what Covid-19 safety precautions will be followed?
“At our end, we were completely prepared to begin right after the inauguration, but there has been apprehension from schools due to the rising Covid-19 cases. As of now, we are unsure when we can begin. But we will be following all safety precautions; Covid protocol by the Government of India will be strictly adhered to once we start operations,” said Associate Dean (Outreach Extension & Activities) Amit Shrivastava.
