Hyundai Motor India Foundation (HMIF), the philanthropic arm of Hyundai Motor India Limited (HMIL), launched the second phase of ‘Vidya Vahini Program’to help 30,000 government school students in remote areas across Uttar Pradesh and Haryana.
Aligned with India’s National Education Policy (NEP), Vidya Vahini is an initiative of HMIF which focuses on improving the quality of education imparted to science students in remote areas to equip youth with vital skills and knowledge to empower them in a technology-driven society.
Additionally, the program up-skills the teachers on latest scientific experiments through workshops, and conducts various exhibitions for students to showcase their innovative ideas.
The program expansion was inaugurated by Sandeep Singh, UP Minister of State (Independent Charge) Basic Education Department, on Wednesday.
overnment of Uttar Pradesh, in the presence of Dr. M K Shanmuga Sundaram (IAS), Principal secretary, Basic Education Department, Uttar Pradesh, Ms. Kanchan Verma (IAS), Director General Basic Education, Uttar Pradesh and senior officials from HMIL includingMr. Puneet Anand,Vertical Head – Corporate Communication & Social, HMILand Mr. Soon Sang Hong, Vertical Advisor – Corporate Communication & Social, HMIL
Puneet Anand, Vertical Head – Corporate Communication & Social, HMIL, said the Vidya Vahini program aims to nurture young minds and encourage innovation in remote areas, where access to study material and scientific experiment models is a challenge.
“The first phase of Vidya Vahini has been very successful as 10,000 students across 5 districts of UP have been directly benefitted through this program,” he added.
Based on the success of the Vidya Vahini program, an expansion phase was inaugurated which includes 5 Mobile science libraries and 15 Lab on Bike.
These vehicles will be deployed across 14 districts of UP and Haryana and will cover various government schools in remote rural areas creating an outreach to students for helping them enhance their knowledge bank in the field of science.
The program will also take up additional activities such as organising science fairs across government district schools to give students a platform to showcase their innovative skills and impart training on latest materials and scientific models to teachers which will help them impart the latest education modules to students.
With Agastya Foundation as the implementation partner, Vidya Vahini was launched in 2022 in UP across Ghazipur, Shamli, Gonda, Lalitpur and Shahjahanpur districts.
The students were given access to latest study materials and exposure to various scientific experiments.
As part of the program, 48 science fairs were organised at district level wherein students were encouraged to participate and showcase their innovative skills.