ABB India announced the expansion of two educational programmes as part of its CSR initiatives to support inclusive and equitable education. These programmes, which were being run in 98 schools in Nelamangala, will now also expand to 50 schools in Peenya starting this academic year reaching a total of 148 schools and around 10,000 students from Peenya and Nelamangala.

The STEM Awareness and Foundational Literacy and Numerical Skills programme is aimed at supporting young students with essential scientific concepts and foundational and age-appropriate skills in literacy and numeracy alongside STEM topics. Integrated within the school timetable, it provides hands-on learning opportunities, making learning interactive and highly engaging. Run in partnership with Sikshana Foundation, the program aims to elevate the education level by equipping primary and higher primary students with the much-needed competencies essential for their cognitive development.

Paryavaran Mitra, the other programme, will be launched soon, and run in collaboration with the Centre for Environment Education (CEE). It aims to prepare higher primary school students to face environmental sustainability challenges by engaging them in eco-friendly activities in school and its surroundings. The state's Department of Education is actively involved in the program design and implementation covering critical themes such as water and sanitation, waste management, energy, etc. This would help students move beyond schools and classrooms, connecting them with nature, society, and communities.

Commenting on the expansion of the initiatives, Sanjeev Arora, President, Motion Business, ABB India said, "ABB remains committed to support inclusive education and environmental sustainability. While we continue to learn and adopt sustainable ways in our operations, we feel the next generation must be aware of the impact they have on the environment. We hope through these well-designed programs, they equip themselves with the required competencies and learn to make more sustainable choices in life."

These initiatives, launched in 2022, have successfully raised awareness levels among students, bridging the aspiration gap in key scientific concepts. Thorough assessments, done periodically, signal a gradual progress in the students? capabilities and awareness levels. 98 teachers from Nelamangala block have been trained and provided with upgraded concepts and supplemental resources to effectively deliver the programs. Students across all grades participate in STEM activities under teacher supervision. A similar teacher training and orientation program shall be implemented in the current initiation year in the Peenya block.

ABB also supports women's education in STEM through an engineering scholarship, instituted in partnership with the Lila Poonawalla Foundation. Two batches have so far graduated through this programme.