Kolkata : A school student along with his friends urged the authorities for using more modern gadgets and technology in the classroom to make learning more enjoyable when he was given an opportunity to symbolically assume the chair of their headmaster.
On the World Children’s Day (20 November), Saikat Dey, a class-X student of Jodhpur Park Boys’ School here held the chair of their headmaster Amit Sen Majumder as part of UNICEF’s celebration of “Kids’ Takeover” programme yesterday and demanded more smart classrooms in the institutions.
“As the symbolic headmaster of a school, I would urge for the use of science, modern technology and scientific gadgets in ensuring education and safety of the students in schools,” he said, amid cheers from his classmates – Ranadeep Gayen and Sattik Dash.
Preferring creative audio-vidual means for teaching, Dey said, “Such methods should be used extensively as they help the children to visualise and understand better.”
“With a high rate of enrolment in primary schools in West Bengal, focus must be given to improve classrooms and laboratories for students at secondary and senior secondary schools. I urge the business community to invest in building smart classroom infrastructure to harness children’s potential for a promising future,” Amit Mehrotra, Chief of UNICEF in West Bengal, said.
Most of the teenage students feel that modern education must focus on gender equality and make the adolescent boys realize that girls are equal.
They also touched upon the growing level of depression among the students of higher classes. “The teachers should come forward to help them learn how to cope with situations and seek professional help when necessary. To achieve it, various awareness building initiatives should be taken up in the school,” said Dey, while being seated on the headmaster’s chair.
Praising the ‘Kids Takeover‘ programme, headmaster Majumder said that this programme would boost the confidence of the students and help them to learn leadership skills. “By putting himself or herself in another person’s shoes, the girl or boy will feel the role of that person and think from that person’s perspective,” he said.
In another programme, Mala Singh Mura symbolically assumed the headmaster’s chair at Asha Bhavan Centre in Uluberia in Howrah district. She is a child with intellectual disability and a love for playing football and cricket.
She believes that every child has the right to study and play games. “As the head of an institution, I want to extend help to all children for education and games, she said.