"Be aware of the advancements in science and the technology around you, and have that curiosity to know, then only you will have that mindset which the great scientists and inventors had."
This was the advice given by Subhash Phal Desai, MLA of Sanguem and Minister of Social Welfare, River Navigation, Archives and Archaeology, when as a chief guest he was addressing STAM e23, a National Science Day celebration.
The event was held by Murgaon Education Society Higher Secondary School, Zuarinagar, in association with the Department of Science and Technology, Govt of Goa, recently.
Phal Desai stressed on having a scientific temper, especially children and youngsters, because they are in a better position to understand the happenings in the surroundings and can also be problem solvers for society.
He declared that students have the skills and temperament, but it has to be harnessed well by the teachers so as to get the best from them. He further urged students to realise their strength and passion and follow it.
Phal Desai said, "Never give up and be demoralised by small failures in life. Rise and try again!” He complimented MES Higher Secondary School for its innovative celebration of National Science Day.
Valsala G Viswambaram ADEI, (ADMN), Vasco, was the guest of honour at the programme. Valsala said, “Science exists all around us. It is used by us all. But we need to be careful in using it and should strive to use technology in a better way.”
She stated that these types of events should be encouraged among students and that students should strive to be researchers in life.
In his presidential address, Paresh Joshi, the vice chairperson of Murgaon Education Society, welcomed all those gathered, especially the children who came to attend the programme. He appealed to the students to look for the inventor in all of us and to look for new creations in technology for society.
Paresh Joshi also recollected the generous support given by the government in the upgradation of the facilities on the campus.
Earlier, Dr Sachin Kandolkar, the principal of MES Higher Secondary School, welcomed the gathering and expressed his happiness at the presence of students from various schools.
Dr N M Jambagi, the former principal of MES Higher Secondary, and Anita Thorat, a Zilla Panchayat member of the Sancoale constituency, were special invitees to STAM e23. Dr N M Jambagi spoke about the life of C V Raman and shared a few incidents which happened in Raman's life.
At STAM e23, children from other educational institutes witnessed projects done by students of MES Higher Secondary School as well as robotics. They also had a science and technology book exhibition, mathematics models, science movies and an introduction to astronomy.
Students of various schools of Mormugao participated in the poster competition where Kunal Bar from Mother of Mercy High School and Tanisha Sutar from Keshav Smruti High School were the first and second prize winners, respectively.
The quiz competition winners were Pranav Supugade and Samiksha Naik, representing St Joseph Vaz High School, Sancoale.
Manoj Bista and Vishal Pal from O L Desterro High School, while Ashwini Lamani and Pooja Duna from Keshav Smruti High School were the second-prize winners in the science projects/models competition.
A special edition of GLIMPSES, the school magazine, was also released on the occasion.
About 120 students from various high schools in and around Vasco along with the students of MES Higher Secondary School, Zuarinagar, attended the programme which ended with a rendition of the national anthem.