Pakistan – "Physlab": science lab to improve education and foster integration

21 February 2022

(ANS - Lahore) - "PHYSLAB" is the name of a small project, but one that has great potential. It aims to upgrade the Salesian school of Lahore, in Pakistan, by completing to furnish equipment for the current Physics laboratory, and in this way, aims to achieve two objectives: on the one hand, to strengthen the scientific skills of the student population; and, on the other, to demonstrate that the Christian minority is able to offer a quality service open to all. In fact, the Salesian school has always been open to inclusion and also has Muslim students.

The project is part of a plan to redevelop the educational center after the grip of the Covid-19 pandemic (still ongoing). Concretely, it proposes to upgrade and complete the equipment of the current Physics laboratory which, although still in good condition, is unfortunately dated. In this way, it intends to help the center’s students to fulfill meaningful educational experiences and go beyond a school model anchored only to mnemonic skills, which is still too widespread in Pakistan.

The laboratory experiences shall allow to clearly define the field of investigation of Physics and to teach the student how to explore phenomena (develop skills related to measurement) and how to describe them with an appropriate language (uncertainties, significant figures of a measurement, graphs).

Experimental activity will allow students to discuss and construct concepts, plan observations, measure, work with objects and instruments, and compare observations and theories.

In addition, students will be able to familiarize themselves with the use of different software, experiencing the important role of information technology in the collection, analysis and representation of data collected during the experiments.

Fundamental, too, the experiences carried out in groups that will help to develop social relationships and refine the ability to work in teams by sharing tasks. The laboratory will have sufficient equipment to allow the creation of five working groups, and each of these will also have a simple tablet with some free applications.

Finally, experiments with poor materials shall also be proposed and adopted, so students can replicate them at home.

The beneficiaries of this initiative will be not only the 120 students, boys and girls, of the school, but also the 170 students of the Vocational Training Center, who share the laboratory with the school.

The project, with a low cost (about 3,600 euros), has been supported, in a commendable effort of international solidarity, by the International Institute "Edoardo Agnelli" of Turin.

It is currently in an advanced stage of implementation. "We are finalizing the purchases for the Laboratory, only a few pieces are missing, already ordered, but which were not available in the store. We took some photos with the students. They too are very grateful to the ‘Agnelli’," wrote the Salesian missionary from Pakistan, Bro. Piero Ramello, SDB.

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ANS - “Agenzia iNfo Salesiana” is a on-line almost daily publication, the communication agency of the Salesian Congregation enrolled in the Press Register of the Tibunal of Rome as n 153/2007.

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