Drive to stoke pupils' interest in science beyond exams through quizzing

Students from 30 schools spent a day quizzing and talking about science.

A teachers’ association that organised the day-long event on Saturday said such initiatives are important to broaden science’s appeal to students beyond exams and develop their interest in the subject and its applications in life.

Two hundred students between Classes III and XII participated in the event at Santoshpur Rishi Aurobindo Balika Vidyapith.

It was organised by the All India Science Teachers’ Association, West Bengal, whose members are current and former teachers of science and environment in schools and colleges.

The association organised three activities — sit-and-draw for students of Classes III to VI, quiz competition for students of Classes VII and VIII, and a talk show for students of Classes VII to XII.

“We want to create awareness of science. Through quizzes we want students to understand some scientific concepts that would develop in them an interest in science,” said Partha Karmakar, honorary secretary, All India Science Teachers’ Association, West Bengal.

Some of the topics of the talk show were school students' interest in science, how to learn mathematics in school, scientific discovery as a cooperative activity and excessive craze for medicine and engineering studies.

Karmakar said asking students how they would want mathematics to be taught in class would help teachers come up with better ideas to reach them.

“There are students who have a math phobia and teachers have to make an effort to break that,” said Karmakar.

A teacher said the tendency among students is to study science to secure high marks in board exams.

“Students need to understand the real-life connect to math and not just study it as a subject to score high marks in board exams or to fare well in competitive exams,” said Arundhati Mukherjee, a member of the association.