STEM Spark Shines in Coastal Schoolgirls’ Science Camp
To cultivate interest and skills in science and technology among girls in coastal areas, a school-based STEM activation program has been launched under the STEM and ICT Skills for the Girls of Coastal Area project. The initiative is being implemented by Bangladesh Open Source Network (BdOSN) in collaboration with the Bangladesh Freedom Foundation. The first session of this program was held on Monday, July 15, at Jhankhania Secondary School in Rampal upazila of Bagerhat, engaging 96 students in hands-on learning activities.
Throughout the day-long session, students were introduced to coding through Scratch programming, explored robotics with demonstrations of line-following robot cars and drones, conducted simple science experiments to understand real-world phenomena, and solved mathematical puzzles designed to make mathematics engaging and enjoyable.
The program aimed not only to create a one-day excitement around STEM, but also to raise awareness among both students and teachers, encouraging them to initiate and sustain similar activities independently in the future.
Rampal Upazila Nirbahi Officer Tamanna Ferdousi visited the event and encouraged the students to pursue technological skills. “To be prepared for the AI-driven future, we must begin familiarizing ourselves with technology at the school level,” she said. “Don’t stop at today’s experience. Keep exploring and acquiring knowledge in this field. I believe you all will be the guides in our technology-led future.”
She commended the initiative, stating, “Retaining girls in education is already a major challenge in coastal areas. Initiatives like this to ensure quality education truly inspire us.” She also hinted at the potential for future collaborative efforts in this direction.
Jannatul Mawa, a sixth-grade student, shared her excitement after being introduced to Scratch programming for the first time. “I didn’t know how animation characters were created in cartoons. Now I want to learn more,” she said.
After observing onion cells under a microscope and conducting various experiments, eighth-grader Adri noted, “We usually learn science from books, but today’s hands-on experience showed that science can actually be fun.”
The school’s headmaster, Bishnupad Biswas, reflected, “This is more than just a one-day experience—it’s the beginning of a new approach to bring technology-driven education into our school.”
According to project manager Shakhira Afroze, the initiative is supported by the Malala Fund and will be extended to nine more coastal schools. “Hundreds more girls from remote areas will get a glimpse of a technology-oriented future through these STEM school activation sessions,” she said.
