Fazle Rabbi Khan

Alongside pursuing normal curriculums in school and college, extra-curricular activities are also very important for a student’s successful career. Only textbooks cannot provide students with overall knowledge of the world _ he or she needs to do some practical activities, too.
When one studies science from a textbook, then one can only memorise the facts with some examples. But when one does a practical exercise on a particular subject, he or she can get a better understanding of the whole matter. So, extra-curricular activities on knowledge-based topics are very much important for a student’s development.
There are many schools and colleges in the capital that are encouraging their students to get involved in activities other than textbook learning. Most of the well-established schools and colleges arrange different types of activities, like science fairs, debate competitions, quiz contests and the like throughout the academic year. The ultimate aim of such programmes is to encourage students in active learning, as well as impart practical knowledge.
Recently, Aurko Youngers’ Science Club and Quantum Youngers’ Quiz Club, both belonging to YWCA Higher Secondary Girls’ School, jointly organised a science and quiz carnival on the school premises in Green Road. The 2nd Youngers’ Inter-School & College Science-Quiz Carnival 2015 was held Oct 13-15.
The three-day event’s main objective was to motivate students to test and enrich their knowledge in diverse fields.
Fariha Alam Raha, secretary general of the carnival’s organising committee and former president of Aurko Youngers’ Science Club, said: “The carnival was one of the most remarkable in the history of the YWCA school. It is really great that the school organised the whole event. We learned a lot from participating and organising the event. As you know, before organising any event, you need to prepare yourself properly. So, we have learnt many things.”  
Young and talented students from 32 different schools and colleges demonstrated their ability to think innovatively in various science and technology topics. The event included project displays, ‘Brain Games’ (IQ test), Olympiads in Math, Chemistry, Biology, Physics, Astronomy, Ecology and ICT, extempore speech, quiz contests on Art, Culture, Literature and Sports, wall magazines and photography exhibition.
Describing their model brick kiln to visitors, three students from Dhanmondi Government Boys’ High School said they had identified a process to make different types of gases and urea fertiliser using a brick kiln.
Another project, ‘Save Earth, Save Life’, was showcased by three students of Dhaka Residential Model College. Their innovative idea makes it possible to separate different types of poisonous gases and other materials from our environment, thus, ensuring a healthy atmosphere.
Shudipto Rawshan Ahmed, student of Dhaka Residential Model College, who came first in the Eco Olympiad, said: “It was really a huge experience for me. I learned many things from the carnival. And my achievement is not only on me, it is also a success for my college and my parents.”
Manju Baroi, principal of the school, remarked: “There are six clubs in our school, which are actively running their activities throughout the year. Among those, the science club is involved in different types of innovative and technology related activities. As a result, their knowledge about science is increasing through practical activities. Not only sciences, those who are involved with say the environment club, they are getting to learn more about the environment. This means that those who are involved with a particular club, they are gathering practical knowledge about that subject. Besides studying, this kind of extra-curricular activities is really very necessary for the students to gather knowledge outside textbooks. It helps to increase their learning on different topics.”
“As most of the schools and colleges are active in this kind of additional activities, we have tried to make it an inter-school and college science/quiz carnival. As a result, the students from different schools and colleges will get the chance to interact with each other and share their ideas. This was the second science/quiz carnival. The first one was held in 2012. That was also successful and we are thinking about continuing the programme,” she added.
Actor and theatre personality Ramendu Majumdar, writer Anisul Huq, filmstars Ananta Jalil and Barsha were guests at the opening and closing ceremonies.
“Like textbooks, extra-curricular activities are very important. So, students need to be sincere about these supplementary activities as they are about studying books. Ultimately, they will gain knowledge about everything,” Anisul Huq said.
Chitto Ranjan Sarkar, teacher of physics and moderator of Aurko Science Club, said: “There are several clubs in our school including the science club and the quiz club. Every year, these clubs showcase different types of projects as their annual activities. Centring this effort, we try to make it a big event involving several schools and colleges of the city.....  This year we invited around 35 schools and colleges in the capital, and abouts32 responded to our invitation and participated in the science-quiz carnival.”
The participating schools and colleges were: YWCA Junior Girls’ High School, Holy Cross Girls’ High School & College, Saint Joseph Higher Secondary School & College, Dhaka Residential Model College, Dhaka City College, Dhaka College, BCSIR High School, Junior Laboratory High School, Government Laboratory High School & College, Mohammadpur Preparatory College, Udayan Higher Secondary School & College, Dhanmondi Government Boys’ High School, Dhanmondi Government Girls’ High School, BAF Shaheen School & College, Birshreshtha Noor Mohammad Rifles Public School & College, Birshreshtha Munshi Abdur Rouf Rifles Public School & College, Viqarunnisa Noon School & College, Saint Gregory’s High School, Notre Dame College, Saint Francis Xavier’s Girls’ High School, SOS Hermann Gmeiner School & College, SFX Greenherald International School, Lake Circus Girls’ High School, Government Science College, Willes Little Flower School & College, Rajuk Uttara Model College, Motijheel Model High School & College, Motijheel Ideal School & College, Motijheel Government Boys’ High School, Motijheel Government Girls’ High School, Adamjee Cantonment Public School & College and Shaheed Bir Uttam Lt Anwar Girls’ School & College.