Delhi government introduces mobile platform for girl students
New Delhi: The Delhi government on Friday introduced a mobile learning platform called STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) for the female students enrolled in its school, in order to counter the existing gender disparity in the field of technology.
STEM is a mobile platform developed in collaboration with the multinational professional services provider, Ernst and Young (EY). It will feature several sections on topics pertaining to science and technology, such as climate change, space exploration, artificial intelligence and 3D printing. The app will also have a separate section, which will give students an opportunity to explore career options in science and technology.
The programme, which was launched on the occasion of the International Day of the Girl Child, will cover 1,000 girls aged between 13 and 18 enrolled in Delhi government schools in the first phase.
Delhi Education Minister Manish Sisodia said that the move will encourage more girls to access technical education free of cost. “Higher secondary classes of Delhi government schools have 57% girl students while only 43% of them are in the science stream. Gender stereotypes, such as boys prefer science and girls opt for humanities, need to be broken now. In order to turn this vision into a reality, we are introducing STEM education for girls in Delhi government schools. Through the platform, we want to encourage our girl students to acquire skills of the 21st century that are necessary to secure jobs, not just in India but also all across the world. We want more girls to be inspired to pursue science and related subjects,” he said.
According to a statement issued by the EY, the STEM curriculum was developed by leading educational institutions around the world. “Parents and teachers will also have access to the platform, which would enable them to encourage girls to opt for science and technology. The aim is to create a virtual global community of women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics,” the organisation said.
