Vodafone Idea Foundation, the CSR arm of Vodafone Idea, and Ericsson India have partnered to set up state-of-the-art robotics labs with an aim to play a role in creating future-ready talent, starting from the school level. Schools across the country are providing a new learning experience for children from underdeveloped communities, preparing them to participate in the technological research of the future, said an official statement.
Digital Labs, an educational programme, is designed for children in ages 11 to 14 for their first experiences with the world of new technologies. According to the release, by creating an open environment for learning, Digital Labs aims to inspire these students to embrace technology and take a problem-solving approach.
Through this partnership, ten digital labs will be set up in Vodafone Idea Foundation schools in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Gujarat.
According to a media release, the course curriculum will focus on providing a basic understanding of programming logic in the context of robotics, application of design theory on how to construct a robot to solve basic tasks, use of different data types such as string, Booleans etc. through a mix of face-to-face and virtual training sessions.
“Digital skills are a necessity for the holistic growth of the youth in the digital era. Taking our ‘Technology for Good’ mission forward, we are happy to partner with Ericsson, to expose the young minds to higher-level skills and development, as well as encourage underserved groups to pursue advanced ICT education and enter science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields,” said P Balaji, Chief Regulatory and Corporate Affairs Officer – Vodafone Idea Limited, and Director – Vodafone Idea Foundation.
Vodafone Idea Foundation has positively impacted over 1.6 million children through novel technological interventions like Jigyasa, Gurushala, and the Teachers and Students Scholarship Programme.