Kalahandi Teacher Drives Hands-on STEM Learning in Rural Govt School
Preetimayee Sahu, a science teacher at PM SHRI Government High School in Kesinga, Kalahandi, is transforming science education through hands-on STEM activities supported by Odisha Rising Foundation.
8 September 20265 min read
How is STEM learning changing classrooms in Kesinga, Kalahandi?\n\nIn Kesinga Block of Odisha’s Kalahandi district, a significant proportion of the population belongs to tribal communities, and schools have long faced the challenge of making classroom learning engaging and meaningful for students whose families often rely on daily‑wage labour, manual work, or small shops. Preetimayee Sahu, a science teacher at PM SHRI Government High School, Kesinga, says she entered the profession to give children a good education and help them become independent: "I wanted these children to get a good education and be able to do something in life. I want their family conditions to improve in the future, and I want them to become independent and be able to stand on their own feet."\n\nPreetimayee’s own background reflects a legacy of teaching. Her grandfather and several uncles were teachers, inspiring her to make a difference, particularly for girls and children from families with limited resources. She completed a BSc (Honours) in Botany in 2019 and appeared for the teacher‑qualifying exam while in the seventh month of pregnancy. After her child was born, she joined the school in December 2023 and has been teaching science ever since.\n\nKalahandi, once synonymous with poverty and hunger in the 1980s, has changed considerably over the years. Preetimayee notes that more people are educated today, but many families continue to face difficult economic circumstances. "Many of the children in our school come from families where parents work as daily‑wage labourers or take up other forms of manual work. Some run small shops. The support and guidance the children need at home is not always available," she explains.\n\nThe school serves 373 students across Classes VI to VIII—120 in Class VI, 113 in Class VII and 140 in Class VIII. Traditionally, lessons relied heavily on rote memorisation, leaving few opportunities for students to experiment or connect scientific ideas to everyday life. Preetimayee noticed that when science was taught theoretically, some children struggled to stay attentive.\n\nThrough the school’s STEM Club, she has shifted the focus to experiential learning. With the support of Headmaster Sameer Kumar Behera, students build models of plant and animal cells and of the solar system, explore magnetic fields, light a bulb using a home battery, make bioplastic from banana plants, and investigate how waste can be converted into green energy. They have also worked on wastewater management and learned how houses could be designed to better protect people during floods. Beyond these hands‑on projects, students engage in internet‑based research, basic coding and introductory artificial‑intelligence activities.\n\nThe school’s Atal Tinkering Lab provides additional equipment for project work, and the establishment of STEM Mini Science Labs lets students and teachers collaborate on projects. Guided by their teachers, learners also create their own Teaching‑Learning Materials (TLMs), thereby developing practical skills, creativity and problem‑solving abilities alongside scientific concepts.\n\nPreetimayee observes a clear change in student behaviour: "When we conduct practical activities, we see much more interest among the children. They participate, ask questions, and want to know how things work, how they can make things themselves." She also describes the club as a two‑way learning experience: "We learn together. Sometimes there are things I am not aware of. I am learning new things while working with the children."\n\nThese efforts have translated into tangible outcomes. Students’ understanding and problem‑solving skills have improved noticeably, and they now participate in competitions at the block, district, state and national levels. Santosh More, Co‑Founder & Director of Mantra4Change and a Weaver with Shikshagraha, emphasises that such change depends on broader support: "The STEM Club shows what becomes possible when children are given the space to ask questions, test ideas and learn by building, experimenting and finding solutions themselves. But this kind of change is not about one teacher or one classroom. It needs teachers to have the trust, support and space to try new ways of teaching." He adds, "Preetimayee looked at what was available around her students and used it to create learning opportunities. When teachers are supported to do this, classrooms can become spaces where children take greater ownership of their learning. That is the kind of change Shikshagraha aims to build across the education system.\n\n## What role does ORF play in supporting STEM education?\n\nOdisha Rising Foundation (ORF) functions as a momentum partner in the Shikshagraha STEM Collective. In Kalahandi district, ORF works on the ground to train teachers and strengthen STEM learning. The foundation collaborates closely with PM SHRI Government High School, Kesinga, to provide the resources and guidance necessary for sustained experiential learning. By offering teacher‑training sessions and helping to develop STEM infrastructure, ORF enables educators like Preetimayee Sahu to introduce hands‑on activities that connect classroom lessons to real‑world challenges.\n\n## What impact has the STEM Club had on student engagement?\n\nSince the introduction of activity‑based learning through the STEM Club, teachers at PM SHRI Government High School have reported a marked improvement in student attention and participation. Practical demonstrations, group projects and the creation of student‑developed Teaching‑Learning Materials have replaced traditional lecture‑style instruction. As Preetimayee notes, hands‑on work sparks curiosity: "When we conduct practical activities, we see much more interest among the children. They participate, ask questions, and want to know how things work, how they can make things themselves."\n\nThe club also encourages learners to link STEM training to everyday problems. Preetimayee stresses, "There are many problems that we face in our daily lives. STEM training should be connected to these real‑life problems. Children should be encouraged to think about solutions and make projects using things that are easily available around them and do not cost a lot." This approach makes learning relevant to students’ lived experiences, particularly for those whose families work as daily‑wage labourers or run small shops and may lack academic support at home.\n\nBeyond heightened interest, the STEM Club has nurtured a two‑way learning dynamic. Preetimayee explains, "We learn together. Sometimes there are things I am not aware of. I am learning new things while working with the children." Students, in turn, develop practical skills, creativity and problem‑solving abilities as they design their own TLMs and work on projects ranging from bioplastic production to flood‑resilient house designs.\n\nThe tangible impact is evident in students’ academic progress and extracurricular achievements. Their understanding of scientific concepts and problem‑solving skills have improved noticeably, and they now represent the school in competitions at the block, district, state and national levels. Santosh More highlights the broader significance of such initiatives: "The STEM Club shows what becomes possible when children are given the space to ask questions, test ideas and learn by building, experimenting and finding solutions themselves. But this kind of change is not about one teacher or one classroom. It needs teachers to have the trust, support and space to try new ways of teaching." He further observes, "Preetimayee looked at what was available around her students and used it to create learning opportunities. When teachers are supported to do this, classrooms can become spaces where children take greater ownership of their learning. That is the kind of change Shikshagraha aims to build across the education system.\n
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