PUNJAB: AmritpaL Singh (41) describes himself as a poet, writer, and folk artist and works as a computer science teacher at Government Senior Secondary School at Chhapar in Pakhowal block of Ludhiana district of Punjab. He was recently honoured with a national award on the occasion of Teacher’s Day at New Delhi for his project, ICT Parwaz, which aimed to enhance the learning capabilities of students.
A total of 9.90 lakh students from across the state have used this self-assessment questionnaire online and taken a test to identify the subjects in which they are weak. The tool then helps them to identify topics in which they need practice.
Besides, Singh has created a computer park in his school and developed 30 mobile phone games that help students to revise topics related to computer science.
For the last 17 years, Singh has been trying to make computer science interesting for his students. He is the only government school teacher from Punjab to be nominated for a national award by the Union Ministry of Education out of a total of 50 teachers from across the country.
In 2006, Singh joined the state education department and in 2009 he was deputed at Government Senior Secondary School at Chhapar in Ludhiana district as a teacher of computer science. Since then he has taken many initiatives to involve students in the subject.
Singh said, “I am teaching computer science to government school students for the last seventeen years. My main aim is to create an environment in the school in which students can happily study with new techniques. I am teaching students by connecting them to modern technology. I teach in an inclusive classroom and keep child psychology in mind while preparing my pedagogy.”
“Since 2018, I am running a project called ICT Parwaz along with my school students. Under this project, a questionnaire assessment tool was developed. This tool is being used in government schools across Punjab. A computer science questionnaire was prepared with Google Forms to assess children at the micro level. So far, responses from 9.90 lakh students have been received. I am running a YouTube channel for ICT Parwaz. Students are being educated through audio-visual content on computer science. During the COVID pandemic, when students were unable to attend schools, this tool was used by all government schools across the state,” he said.
Singh said that he has been running three computer science clubs. “These are software and hardware clubs through which I aim to develop computer skills of students. Students are repairing devices in school and creating new fonts. Also, the class monitor is elected through a specially developed voting software,” Singh added.
“I have developed a computer lab in this government school which is the first such laboratory in any state government school in 2017 and was powered by thin client network technology. This lab has also been awarded the Swachh Lab Award. The computer lab was made into a smart lab with the help of donors. A computer park was also set up in the school. The park has been designed with waste material in collaboration with students and school staff,” he said.
“Five other schools were motivated to develop similar computer parks in their school. Parks of other subjects such as Math Park, Science Park, Educational Park and Sports Park, all out of waste material, were also set up,” said Singh.
“I created 30 mobile games on computer science, through which I am trying to educate students in the fun learning environment. So far, more than 3 lakh students from schools across Punjab have benefitted from these games,” he added.
Singh has also designed a smart identity card for his students with a QR code of the digitised records of students. Singh has also received the award of Senior Fellowship from the Union Ministry of Culture. “I organise cultural activities for students after school hours. My students have won prizes in state and national level competitions, adding up to 215 medals,” he says. He has also been honoured with a state award in 2021.
Besides being a computer teacher, Singh is a poet and writer and has made several short films and videos to make information and communication technology accessible to students. “My alias is ‘Pali Khadim’ under which I have written many books. I have a collection of poems on computer science. I have also written a novel on child psychology which was nominated for the Sahitya Academy Award. I have edited a book for SCRT. My works have been published at regional, national and international levels. My lecture has already been aired by the NCRT. I have produced three films for social awareness,” said Singh. “I have made films on moral values, child education and new education policy which also received recognition and awards,” he added.