Islamabad: Interactive demonstrations, lectures, hands-on activities and science quiz were just some of the activities that fascinated young students at Gwadar’s first science festival.
The one-day science festival for schoolchildren was held on Saturday at Government Model High School, to ignite a spark for science and technology among students in the region, and to promote improved quality of learning in government schools.
The event was inaugurated by Chief Justice Balochistan High Court Mohammad Noor Miskanzai, Chairman Gwadar Port Mir Dostain Khan Jamaldini, Commissioner Makran Mohammad Ayaz Mandokhail, National Party’s Ashraf Hussain and Deputy Commander 440 Brigade Col. Abdul Rasheed.
Around 3,500 students from more than 28 government and private schools of Gwadar district participated in the festival, which was attended by teachers, entrepreneurs, science specialists, government officials and politicians.
More than 100 science models at the festival demonstrated the students’ passion for science and technology, and introduced innovative concepts to the visitors.
Interactive displays and live experiments, some of which involved robotics, hydraulics, earthquake detectors, web and app development and environment-based projects were conducted by the students and four science organisations from across Pakistan including Ejaad Tech, Stemmers, Pakistan Science Club and Sabaq.
With their innovative science models, the students of Gwadar chose to offer solutions to local problems faced by the communities in Gwadar such as water and energy issues.
Some students decided to enhance public awareness and preparedness towards natural disasters. Azhar Ali, a student of grade 10, created a model of earthquake detector. “I have made this earthquake indicator model which warns against different intensity of earthquake with beeping sound and flashing light” he explained.
Two girl students from Government Girls High School produced a hydraulic bridge for a currently-proposed expressway in Gwadar to allow fishing boats to pass underneath it.
Chief Justice of Balochistan High Court Mohammad Noor Miskanzai also participated in the hands-on activity by Pakistan Science Club with children as a source of encouragement.
The festival was organised by Deputy Commissioner Gwadar Dawood Ahmad Khilji, Education Department Gwadar, District Government, Bamsaar, Gwadar Association of Professionals, Hameed Honda, and Pakistan Alliance for Maths and Science (PAMS).
Talking to Gulf News, Farhad Jarral, Media Manager of PAMS, said “Science Festivals are essential to open the horizons of opportunities for students in fields of Maths and Science education. These festivals also provide parents a platform to know the talent of their children, and engage with the teachers to demand quality education in their schools.”
Pakistan’s only deep-sea port city Gwadar is aiming to become an international trade hub as part of the ambitious China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project. To become an innovator in industrial, technical and strategic domains, it is essential to provide students and youth of Gwadar with world-class quality education to facilitate them to spearhead the economic and technological transformation, according to the organisers of the festival. “The focus on improvements in maths and science learning inside classrooms could prove to be instrumental in Gwadar’s response to the opportunities available to the city as well as the province of Balochistan.”
