Wednesday, May 01, 2013
Abu Dhabi: Thousands of schoolchildren across Abu Dhabi will soon develop an acumen for programming and a knowledge of basic biology, as a new outreach initiative works to encourage interest in scientific fields of study.
The initiative, known as ‘Lema?’ (translated as ‘Why?’ in English), was launched by the Technology Development Committee (TDC) on Wednesday. It will reach out to more than 15,000 children enrolled in Grades 3 to 5 at public and private schools.
Neama Al Marshoodi, content associate for science and technology promotion at the TDC, told Gulf News that the initiative will consist of interactive biology-focused shows that cover topics related to living things, including the human body and its development.
“Workshops to familiarise children with robots, engineering and programming will also be offered, and children will write in-depth reports about what they learn from the sessions,” Neama said.
The workshops will be conducted by trained students from Abu Dhabi-based universities, known as Science Communicators. Bilingual experts from the Edinburgh International Science Festival will also assist in delivering these sessions.
“The ultimate goal is to encourage pupils to pursue scientific careers,” Neama added.
The first phase of ‘Lema?’ kicked off in April, and focuses on schools in the capital city. The second, which will start in September, will reach out mainly to pupils in Al Ain and Al Gharbia schools.
By Samihah Zaman?Staff Reporter
Gulf News 2013. All rights reserved.
