Team Goemkarponn
PORVORIM: The Government of Goa has inked a pathbreaking MoU with Harvard University to conduct educational programme for strengthening and enriching the public schools in the state for the benefit of the poor students.
The Prime Minister has urged education to be given top priority and the programmes to be aligned with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. Goa state, under the leadership of Dr Pramod Sawant aims to ensure that no student loses opportunity to learn and excel because of the circumstances of birth or background.
The aim of Goa state is to bridge the social category gaps in access, participation, and learning outcomes. The state is undertaking dynamic reforms in the higher education scenario by making the Education System at par with the highest global standards making education effective, inclusive, contemporary rooted in the Indian culture and ethos.
This is in line with the Prime Minister’s vision to ensure higher quality education to all thereby making India a ‘Global knowledge Super Power’.
For the first time this kind of a program of global standard is being conducted for high school students and teachers from public high schools in the state. This will bring in a cross-cultural learning experience built on the scientific process and is focused on the liberal arts and sciences philosophy.
PSIL – The Program for Scientifically-Inspired Leadership, is a platform that brings three groups of students together – college students from Harvard University, who will serve as instructors, college students from Goa, who will serve as instructor fellows, and higher secondary school students from Education Department, Government of Goa Schools who will comprise the student participants in the Program.
The high school students get exposed to a curriculum based on the liberal arts and science philosophy. This is extremely important because students typically pick a “stream” – science, arts, or commerce – after their 10th grade and there are very limited opportunities for students to receive formal education on topics that are outside their stream. The program has built the curriculum focusing on skills and knowledge they would not normally get in their classrooms.
Each module offered in the Program will be taught by one Instructor who will be assisted by one Instructor Fellow, developed by same with oversight from the Program Directors. The Higher Secondary School Student to Instructor ratio will be no more than 20:1.
100 Higher Secondary School Students – 50 female and 50 male, of grade 11, high-performing, underprivileged students from their schools will be trained in the first pilot program.
Significantly, 40 teachers will also undergo Pedagogy Training in the program.
Dr Dominic Mao from Harvard & Charudutta said that “the PSIL program will dispel a lot of myths for our students. For example, there is a popular myth that only privileged individuals attend Harvard.
Learning about the funding opportunities at Harvard and that the college meets 100% of demonstrated financial need comes as a big surprise to everyone. There is a lot of information transfer and expansion of world views and Goa’s young brilliant minds should not suffer because of lack of opportunities.
There is scope in future for Goa govt to possibly provide support for our desired number of students to attend Harvard Summer School.
