Micron Foundation, UNICEF aim to foster STEM learning among Karnataka, Telangana students

NEW DELHI: Micron Foundation and UNICEF India have announced a collaboration aiming to build interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education for students from rural and low-income communities of Karnataka and Telangana, especially girl students.

The Micron Foundation’s 408,000 US Dollars or Rs 3.37 crore grant will fund UNICEF programmes to foster STEM learning and 21st-century skills. UNICEF will partner with Karnataka and Telangana schools to improve Atal Tinkering Labs (ATLs) and set up low-cost makerspaces to increase girls’ engagement with STEM education.

The grant will also be used to provide necessary funding to “build capacity and support for teachers, engage with volunteers to mentor students, and organize knowledge-sharing and workshops to expand girls’ access to STEM education”. The event will be used to reach over 20,000 students in two states by March 2025.

“UNICEF will also enhance their Passport to Earning (P2E) platform, allowing girls and other marginalized groups in India to expand their access to key 21st-century skills, helping to ready them for success in the modern world,” the official statement read.

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Micron Technology president and CEO, Sanjay Mehrotra said: “UNICEF’s work will help to provide access to STEM and 21st-century skills for vulnerable children and youth, especially girls, and encourage them to pursue STEM education and careers,” said. “Micron’s innovations touch the lives of nearly every human being on the planet, and we feel a sense of responsibility to invest in our people and our communities,” it said.

“UNICEF works to improve education opportunities in India, and Micron’s partnership with them exemplifies our commitment to long-term impact in the communities where we live and work,” Micron Managing director in India Anand Ramamoorthy said.