UP to launch Dream Labs in 600 Govt schools
At least 600 Government schools across all 75 districts of Uttar Pradesh will have ‘Dream Labs’ where students from Classes 9 to 12 will receive training in Artificial Intelligence (AI), Robotics, Internet of Things (IoT) and 3D Printing, officials said.
The initiative followed an MoU signed between Samagra Shiksha (Secondary), Secondary Education Department and Nelco Limited (a Tata Enterprise) with other industrial groups on Saturday, they added.
Additional Chief Secretary of Basic and Secondary Education, Parth Sarathi Sen Sharma, said, “This agreement is not just a project, but an investment in the future of Uttar Pradesh’s youth. Considering the rapidly changing industrial requirements, it is the need of the hour to equip students with Industry 4.0-based skills.”
Director General of School Education Monika Rani said Dream Labs will become a strong medium in this direction, where students will gain practical and employment-oriented skills along with traditional education. She laid special emphasis on the effective operation of the hub and spoke model, installation of machinery, quality of trainers, regular attendance of students and result-based monitoring. She said, “Just as a strong beginning is important, it is equally necessary to take it towards successful implementation, especially in the aspirational districts.”
Under this project, a total of 600 schools across all 75 districts of the state, including 150 hub schools and 450 spoke schools, have been included, an official statement said.
In the first phase, Dream Labs will be established in 18 hubs and 54 spoke schools. In the second phase, in 36 hubs and 108 spoke schools. In the third phase, in 96 hubs and 288 spoke schools, it added. The labs will be developed as modern innovation and skill development centres, where students from Classes 9 to 12 will receive practical training in advanced technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), Robotics, Internet of Things (IoT), 3D Printing, advanced manufacturing, battery-operated electric vehicles, electronics, agricultural science, renewable energy, drone technology and design thinking, the statement read.
This project is in line with the National Education Policy 2020, National Skills Qualification Framework (NSQF) and Skill India Mission with the objectives to develop innovation, problem-solving ability, technical efficiency and entrepreneurship skills among students, it said.
Representatives from global companies, including Yaskawa, Mastercam, 3D Systems, AjnaLens and Ace Micromatic, participated in the programme and described the initiative as a strong bridge between education and industry. They said that Dream Labs will provide students with real industrial experience and connect them with better employment and entrepreneurship opportunities, the statement added.
