They see, they learn and they discover

Teenagers Dipti Pramanik and Putul Mondol always look forward to Saturdays. The weekends mean imbibing knowledge from the great outdoors. Both studying in school, it gives them the opportunity to learn about nature and biodiversity in the fields, mangroves and vegetable patches of their village Phoolbari in Sagar block of West Bengal’s Sundarbans region.

A brainchild of retired Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) senior scientist Dr Amales Misra, the hands-on science learning programme at the Paribesh Unnayan Parishad (PUPA) premises is a big draw for children in the village. Open to those who are six years and above, it teaches them through practical projects and enables them to link all that is seen and heard around them with the basic principles of science. The success of the programme can be gauged when you hear middle schoolchildren here wax eloquent on osmosis, photosynthesis, vermicomposting, seed germination, organic fertilisers or mangroves.

But the programme actually grew out of an initial desire to impart the love for science and the environment to school children everywhere. It was way back in 1992, as part of the taxidermy and museum section of ZSI that Misra and his scientist colleague Dr Subarata Kar participated in an outreach programme for schools. Although there was ample interest among students in learning about science, the right methodology seemed lacking. “We felt the need to inculcate a love for the environment in students,” explains Misra.

Thus, starting with government-run Sakhawat Memorial Girls’ School, Misra, Kar and several other colleagues, with the active encouragement of the then Joint Director of ZSI Dr Ashis Ghosh, started devoting some time every week to teach middle school children in 25 institutions across Kolkata about the environment. This exercise, which went on till 2005, saw him and his colleagues compile sahayikas (guides) for science education in Bengali. These were meant as aids for teachers in schools.

Making a difference Once he retired, Misra decided to move to his ancestral home in Sagar island, and make a difference to the lives and livelihoods of people there. In 2007, PUPA received a small grants project from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) aimed at, “Improving the quality of life and livelihood of the rural population in Sagar Island.” Although initially intended to be a two-year project, its success saw UNDP extend the tenure. As part of the project, a study centre for coaching rural school children was established at Phoolbari village.

If education in rural India leaves much to be desired, science education is simply appalling, Misra soon realised. “They were all learning by rote; they did not know how to relate science learnt in their school books to everyday life.” Making use of the study centre that was set up to coach children in and around the village in their school syllabus, Misra decided to inculcate project-based learning on science and the environment from 2010 onwards.

The initial projects focussed on what was easily available around the village, such as cow urine, cow dung, plant processes, soil analysis and the like.

Scientists and science teachers would guide the children on how to observe and document what they saw around them, besides conducting simple experiments to understand scientific phenomena.

Since PUPA was involved in conserving traditional rice varieties and growing vegetables organically, the children also learnt about these on the premises.

From 2013 onwards, PUPA started entering projects the children had worked on under their guidance for the National Children’s Science Congress. In 2014, the project on salt-tolerant paddy by a student of Class IX, Anima Das, progressed from district-level to State-level.

The year 2016 proved a landmark for the organisation in more ways than one. A small science laboratory was set up with seed money from Zee Bangla, a Bengali cable television channel, worth ₹14,000.

Three of their projects on solar lighting systems, rainwater harvesting, and organic fertiliser were entered for the National Children’s Science Congress that year. Of these, Dipti Pramanik’s organic alternative to chemical fertiliser – christened Kala Manik– made it to the top-30 out of 650 entries at the national level competition held in Baramati, Maharashtra.

Although Dipti’s product made out of poultry litter, mustard cake, cow dung, straw ash and rice powder could not bag a prize nationally, it earned her ₹10,000 in appreciation from the West Bengal Women & Child Development Department.

Learning to invent The children also got to spend some time with Ramendralal Mukherjee, who has invented the micro microscope and several other instruments. Sessions with the inventor enabled children familiarise themselves with the use of microscope and binoculars. They learnt to determine pH levels, soil salinity and nutrient content, besides using binoculars for bird-watching.

In 2017, PUPA submitted four entries to the Science Congress. Three of them dealt with improving soil fertility, while the fourth dealt with mangroves.

Of these, Vivek Bairagi’s team project on mixing palm pulp with cow dung for improved soil fertility progressed from the district to the State level and is now a finalist at the upcoming Bangla Bigyan Congress organised by the West Bengal Department of Science & Technology.

Vivek and his team look forward to the finals scheduled for February this year and hope for a prize.

PUPA now plans to set up a model pre-primary and primary school in Phoolbari. Although parents continue to be sceptical about children spending time learning things that aren’t strictly confined to the syllabus, the resistance to learning science as a fun activity is gradually melting away.

The foundation has clearly been laid for a brighter scientific future in rural Sagar.

The writer is a journalist based in Kolkata

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