The UK India Education and Research Institute (UKIERI) is a commitment pledged by United Kingdom and India for setting a change in educational relationship between the two countries over the next five years. It was officially launched in April 2006 by signing a joint declaration by his Excellency, Dr. Manmohan Singh and Mr. Tony Blair.
In India, UKIERI programme is implemented and coordinated by the objectives of British Council. Till date . At the faculty level, the British Council has organized many seminars, workshops and teleconferencing for school and programme coordinators. The constant encouragement and involvement of the British Council in maintaining the momentum of the programme is commendable.
UKiERI at the school level is a three year programme. Our school is one of the five schools in Bangalore cluster. The year one programme called 'GET TO KNOW' began in 2006 with the cooperation of thirty students and six teachers. The activity was dedicated to develop friendship with the students of five schools in Yorkshire County in general and South Hunsley School in particular. Our school students took a lot of interest in communicating to their counterpart through e-mails, exchange of greeting cards and toys as well. To make the programme participatory, each and every student was offered an opportunity by following a schedule.
The year two programme offered an opportunity for Mr. Subramanya from the Department of Chemistry to go to England for twelve days and work with schools in Yorkshire County with four other programme co-ordinators of Bangalore cluster. Staying at the century old Hotel Green Dragon in Welton, the co-ordinating teachers visited the Woodgate College, South Hunsley School, St. Ann's Special School and Brough Primary School.
During the visit to each of the school, the teachers had an opportunity to meet and interact with the Head of the school, subject teachers and children. The objective of interaction was to know their views and issues in curriculum planning, classroom management, child rearing pattern, culture, rewards-punishments and procurement maintenance of infrastructure. According to the teachers, interaction with children in particular was worthy of being remembered for ever.
The most significant and cherishing visit was the visit to BAE systems, the manufacturer of the well known, air worthy fighter aircrafts HAWK. The teachers were taken inside the Plant to get first hand information on pin to plane order of production of HAWK. They even got a glimpse of the first batch of HAWK to be dispatched to Indian Air Force. The activity of team building organized by Human Resource and Training Department of the establishment for cultivating systematic work ethics was enlightening.
To know the culture and history of United Kingdom, the teachers had an opportunity to watch a play at a theatre in Leeds, visit important places like the holy town of York, the world famous spa at Bridlington, underwater aquarium-The Deep and the entire city of London.
The year two programme in school also involved the execution of an environmental issue based project. Our school in collaboration with Shishu Griha School in Bangalore and South Hunsley School is working on the estimation of Carbon Footprint contributed by people in daily life. The project is developing successfully as scheduled. At present the analytical work is going on.
In response to their visit to England, UKIERI offered the school an opportunity to host teachers from England in the month of October 2007. According to the schedule, Ms. Joanna Gilbert, Mrs. Lesley Davis, Ms. Kay O'Neill, Ms. Rachael Uoyd, Ms. Emma Drake visited our school and had an opportunity to meet the Head Mistress, staff and children. The interaction, although was for a very short duration was productive. The high school students put up a colourful cultural programme for the visiting guests. The visiting teachers parted us with warm memories of their visit.
In the final leg of UKIERI program, school has supported the initiative taken by the Bangalore cluster to embark on yet another educational program under which students could visit UK school on educational & cultural exchange perspective.
Acknowledging the program, Mrs. Meenakshi Balakrishnan, our Principal was kind enough to take immediate decision to sanction the names of 6 students and a teacher.
On 19th April 2009, these 6 students under the care of Mrs. Ambika, Senior Art teacher would be traveling to Yorkshire county in Northern England on Student Exchange Program for 15 days.
The Contingent of students and teachers had the opportunity to visit our partner schools in Brough cluster and participate in school process, the schedule of which is on arrival.
It is expected that the Student-Exchange programme will offer a once in a life time experience to students.
- To attend class-room proceeding
- To utilize facilities at school for learning
- To explore students learning behaviour
- To exchange academic issues/views
- To participate the cultural program & exchange cultural views
- To visit places of interest in England & many more.
|
