HYDERABAD – Thousands of students and teachers participated in the STEAM Muqablo (Competition), organized by Sindh Education Department and the STEAM Policy Unit Sindh, at a government school in Latifabad unit number 6 on Saturday. According to details, as many as 588 students and 153 teachers from 54 schools displayed their models related to Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM) at the competition.
Among those models, 54 were floating devices; 53 were musical instruments; 52 were postcards; 51 maths and science, while 37 touched the themes of climate change, urban development and technology. Some 24 judges from 9 different organisations including Mehran University of Engineering and Technology (MUET), Sindh University, Iqra University, GC University Hyderabad, Virtual University and Provincial Institute of Teacher Education, Systems Ltd, National Incubation Centre Hyderabad and Mixeal judged the models.
The musical instruments were made from old keys, spoons, tubes while load-bearing boats were made from coconut palm leaves, sheets and reused plastic bottles. Speaking on the occasion Deputy Director of Quality Assurance, Hyderabad Directorate and regional focal person for STEAM, Asma Bhatti said the competition has transformed the students who were considered dull or problematic in classrooms. “They have become so invested in making the best possible boats or the most creative musical instruments that they worked on improving them again and again even after the school hours,” she observed.”Some children don’t learn by studying, but by using such platforms. This helps bring problematic, uninterested or silent children to the mainstream,” she said. She believed that the competition was also contributing to independent thinking among students, enabling them to brainstorm about solutions which they and the society as a whole faced.The Director further pointed out that the students had used materials from their surroundings including wild grass to make boats.
She noticed that the contestants also came up with solutions to deal with a real flood. “They also know that the science and relevant laws behind how their solutions work,” she underlined.
According to her, both the judges and guests were surprised at students’ innovation as well as their confident presentations. She expressed hope that such activities would also slowly rebuild trust in the government school system.
This post was originally published on here
