IAEA experts and participants of the IAEA Regional Workshop – Train the Trainers at the Rizal Park Hotel, Manila, Philippines
Educators in Asia-Pacific Region Train the Trainers on Nuclear S&T for High School
Leading science educators from countries across the Asia-Pacific region met with experts from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to spearhead the teaching of nuclear science and technology in secondary schools through the training of science teachers in innovative academic as well as extracurricular approaches.
The IAEA Regional Workshop – Train the Trainers was held at the Rizal Park Hotel from May 20 to 24, with representatives of education ministries and nuclear agencies from Indonesia, Jordan, Malaysia, Oman, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Philippines.
Among the IAEA experts are Ms. Micah Pacheco, Regional Science Supervisor of the Department of Education - National Capital Region (DepEd-NCR), Dr. Sunil Sabharwal of India, formerly a technical officer for the IAEA, Mr. Dimas Irawan of the National Nuclear Energy Agency of Indonesia, and Dr. Dave Grabaskas of the Argonne National Laboratory in the USA.
Beyond the technical aspect of nuclear science, such as the basics of atomic structure, radiation concepts and nuclear safety, the workshop also aims to make the teaching of nuclear science more fun and relatable to the youth. These include formulating classroom and extracurricular activities, as well as using modern media and technology as tools to communicate to students.
The participating educators also performed teaching demonstrations to show the actual integration of nuclear science with various topics of their expertise, such as in chemistry, physics, biology, and earth science, among others.
The regional workshop was hosted by the Department of Science and Technology - Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (DOST-PNRI) under IAEA Project RAS0079 on Educating Secondary Students and Science Teachers on Nuclear Science and Technology.
DOST-PNRI has signed Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) with DepEd and the Philippine Science High School (PSHS) for implementing the project among secondary schools in the Philippines.
