MYSURU: While the general perception is that government schools lag behind private institutions in terms of infrastructure and quality of education, a science teacher at the Government Higher Primary School (GHPS), Hinkal, Mysuru, has proved this wrong by introducing advanced technology and hands-on learning techniques for the benefit of students.
From carpentry and robotics to Artificial Intelligence (AI), drone technology and Virtual Reality (VR), Madhusudan KS, the teacher, is exposing students to a wide range of practical skills and emerging technologies, preparing them to meet the challenges of a rapidly evolving world.
Madhusudan believes that students of government schools should have access to quality education and technological exposure like their counterparts in private institutions.
Believing that both teachers and students must continuously update their knowledge to keep pace with technological advancements, Madhusudan launched this ambitious initiative in 2022 with the sole objective of transforming the conventional approach to education. Help for this came from his classmates, friends and relatives, many of whom hold prominent positions in various countries.
“If the education system is weak, it will eventually affect the economy and other aspects of the country. I wanted to revolutionise government school education by providing students with access to some of the best learning opportunities in the world.
Children from economically weaker backgrounds depend on government schools and they should not be deprived of quality education,” he told TNSE.
Launching his initiative, Madhusudan converted a classroom on the first floor of the school building into a dedicated science and innovation laboratory, christened M Lounge - Meet, Make, Marvel: A hub for experiential learning and innovation.
He began studying the best educational practices and technologies that could be introduced to schoolchildren. Recognising that conventional teaching methods often fail to keep pace with technological skills demanded by the job market, he decided to integrate emerging technologies with the school curriculum.
With the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 emphasising STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) education, robotics was one of the first disciplines he chose to introduce.
Initially, he approached Tesla in the US for humanoid robots. However, representatives of Tesla informed him that for want of service facilities in India, technicians have to travel from the US for maintenance work, involving an estimated expenditure of around Rs 5 lakh.
Finding this arrangement financially unviable, Madhusudan approached China-based robotics manufacturer Unitree, which has a franchise at Indore in Madhya Pradesh.
The company agreed to provide humanoid robots tailored to the school syllabus, paving the way for a collaboration.
Madhusudan adopted a graded approach to teaching robotics, keeping in mind the learning abilities of children at different levels. He introduced Class 4 students to robots through touch-and-feel methods and taught Class 5 students to assemble them. Students of Class 6 and 7 were introduced to coding and programming.
The school has AI-enabled smart boards and virtual reality headsets for students developed by Meta. The headsets were sponsored by one of Madhusudan’s classmates working with Meta in the US.
The school has 11 headsets with licences to access educational content aligned with the syllabus.
Innovative learning environment
M Lounge is an innovative learning environment envisioned by Madhusudan to encourage creativity, experimentation, practical skills and technological exploration among students, particularly those studying in government schools.
Its learning ecosystem covers a wide range of disciplines, including robotics, Artificial Intelligence (AI), mechatronics, electronics and advanced circuits, hydraulics, pneumatics, optics, renewable energy, advanced micro-programming, 3D printing and Virtual Reality (VR).
Digital infra for modern education
Madhusudan also focuses on creating digital infrastructure necessary to support modern education. Through a partnership with DigiSapi Technologies India Pvt. Ltd., M Lounge at GHPS has been equipped with advanced Wi-Fi 7 technology and CDARK (Cyberthreat Detection, Analysis, Response and Knowledge Sharing) to facilitate secure, next-generation digital learning.
Taking tech to rural schools
Madhusudan aspires to take tech education to children studying in rural government schools. To achieve this goal, he has planned a ‘Virtual Reality on Wheels’ initiative, through which he hopes to take technological learning facilities to rural areas.
Preparing students for future
Drone technology is another major part of the learning programme at GHPS. Students are introduced to fundamentals and practical applications of drones in areas such as agriculture, mapping and environmental monitoring.
These hands-on activities help them understand aerodynamics, electronics and programming, while connecting classroom concepts with real-world applications and emerging career opportunities.