To encourage innovations and an entrepreneurial environment among youth, Deputy Commissioner Poonch Inder Jeet inaugurated Atal Tinkering Lab at Shaheed Dy. SP Memorial Model Higher secondary School Poonch.
On the occasion, the Deputy Commissioner was the Chief Guest, while President Poonch Municipal Council, Sunil Sharma and Chief Education Officer, Bishamber Dass was the Guest of Honour.
Principal Dy. SP Memorial Model Higher secondary School Poonch, Rupinder Kour read out the welcome address. The ATLs are being set up under the Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) by the Union government and it aims at cultivating one million children in the country as neoteric innovators.
Speaking at the inaugural ceremony, the Deputy Commissioner Poonch said “The objective of this lab is to foster curiosity, creativity, and imagination in young minds; and inculcate skills such as design mind set, computational thinking, adaptive learning, physical computing etc."
He urged the School management to invite students from across the district in the Lab to develop scientific temper among them,” he said and added that this would ensure best use of the Lab.
“ATL is a workspace where young minds can give shape to their ideas through do-it-yourself mode, and learn innovation skills” he added. Young children will get a chance to work with tools and equipment to understand the concepts of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics)”.
President Municipal Council Poonch, Sunil Sharma, in his address, appreciated the Education department Poonch for bringing drastic changes in the education system by establishing such Labs.
Chief Education Officer Poonch said that the ATL would have educational and learning ‘do it yourself’ kits and equipment on science, electronics, robotics, open-source microcontroller boards, sensors, and 3D printers and computers and it would be an opportunity for the innovative and tech savvy teachers to show their mettle.”
President SGPC Poonch, Narinder Singh, also spoke on the occasion, while DEPO N.M Suri, presented a vote of thanks.