India, August 16, 2024: Verizon India, a leading IT and Technology Global Capability Centre (GCC) in partnership with BHUMI, an Indian NGO has successfully established 77 STEM Labs and Smart classrooms across Tamil Nadu, Telangana and Karnataka with its School Transformation Program. This corporate social responsibility focused program aims to drive qualitative empowerment of school students which benefit over 40,000 students across select cities in Southern India.
The School Transformation Program is designed to equip students studying in Classes 6-12 in government schools with a robust STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) education platform. A total of 77 government schools across Tamil Nadu, Telangana and Karnataka were furnished with STEM labs focused on diverse subjects including Mathematics, Robotics and powered by interactive smart boards, digital infrastructure like PCs as well as robust lab furniture. The STEM Labs and Digital infrastructure were established after thorough student baseline assessments, teacher awareness tests and feasibility studies to ensure the right infrastructure for each specific location and school.
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Through the partnership with BHUMI, STEM sessions were also designed and conducted for students studying in Classes 6–9 providing them with dedicated hands-on experience to explore various facets of science. Necessary digital infrastructure was also set up to bridge the digital literacy gap in identified schools. To demonstrate their learnings from the sessions, STEM fests are conducted periodically in the schools. BHUMI also implements capacity-building sessions twice every quarter for teachers and once every quarter for trainers to equip them with the right tools and updated resources to facilitate seamless learning to the students.
“Verizon India understands its role in enabling and equipping young minds across various socio-economic backgrounds to solve complex challenges through technology. Reports from industry bodies suggest that GCCs like Verizon are becoming one of the most preferred employment avenues for the top STEM graduates in India. I am thus proud to note that we have successfully impacted the lives of 40,000+ students across India. By imparting digital learnings and high-quality training for both the trainers as well as young minds through the School Transformation Program we have successfully aided in enhancing the digital literacy quotient as well as created a strong talent pipeline for the nation. We are committed to bridging the digital divide and contributing to a more advanced and inclusive nation” said, Mr. Prasad V. Annadanam- Senior Director, Finance for Verizon India.
Ms. Vaishnavi Srinivasan- Executive Director, BHUMI, said, “Our collaboration with Verizon India has been instrumental in bringing quality STEM education to students. By providing essential resources and training, we are not only enhancing their academic experience but also preparing them for a future where digital literacy is crucial. We are proud to be part of this transformative initiative that truly makes a difference in the lives of these young learners.”
Barriers like outdated teaching methods, lack of digital and computing infrastructure as well as lack of training for the trainers impede the balanced growth of the young learners. Through the School Transformation Program, VERIZON and BHUMI encouraged diverse stakeholders to participate in comprehensive online and offline discussions on the effective implementation of pedagogical techniques, helping inculcate a child-centric educational approach. Students also received training in digital literacy and interpersonal skills to maximise the benefits of the digital infrastructure provided. India’s National Education Policy from 2020 indicates that focusing on quality STEM education is the key to embracing critical thinking. Igniting the passion for learning and experimenting in STEM sciences is critical to ensuring that India and its citizens transition to a knowledge based economy.
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Image 1: Young robotics engineer engaged in STEM conversations with Verizon India volunteers at a scho
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