Dr. Shrabanti Sen,
Director, Strategy, Innovation, Learning and Knowledge (SILK)
Ashique Ali
Sr. Specialist- Education
Igniting Curiosity, Building Futures: Impact of ChildFund India’s STEM Education Program
At ChildFund India, we believe learning should bring joy to children. It should make them curious, confident, creative and ready for the future. In Raichur, Karnataka, many children grow up with very few or limited resources. Schools often do not have science labs or smart classrooms. Most lessons are taught only through textbooks. For many children, especially girls, subjects like science and math felt difficult, boring and hard to understand.
To address the aforementioned issue, we started the STEM Education Program in seven government schools. We set up Mini Science Labs, Smart Classrooms, STEM Library, brought in science kits, and trained teachers to make lessons fun and practical. Further, we organized multiple exposure visits for children for hand on learning experience. Recently, we conducted impact evaluation of STEM program in Raichur across 7 intervention schools and taken additional 7 government schools as a control group. We conducted indepth interviews with children and teachers and SMC members. Further, we also spoke with parents and the community to show how important it is for children to learn these skills.
What Changed for Children
An independent study was done to see how the program is helping. The results were inspiring.
- Boost in curiosity and interest: About 85 percent of children said they became more curious about science and math after joining the program.
- Better alignment with studies: More than 90 percent felt that the new way of teaching made lessons easier to understand.
- Confidence in learning: Over 90 percent of students said they feel much more confident in science and math now.
- Real learning outcomes: In class 6, children in schools with the STEM program scored 9.8 compared to 7.0 in non-intervention schools. In class 7, the scores were 8.5 compared to 6.4. In class 8, they scored 5.1 compared to 3.6. In class 9, it was 6.1 compared to 4.6. And in class 10, children scored 5.0 compared to 3.7. This shows that in every grade, children with access to STEM labs and smart classrooms performed better than those without.
Study revealed that STEM labs are sparking curiosity and nurturing a love for science among children.
- Girls Leading the Change: Girls scored an average of 6.0 compared to boys who scored 5.4 in the intervention schools. This shows that girls not only improved but also outperformed boys, proving the program helped them build confidence and interest in science and math.
- Stronger career aspirations: Around 91 percent of students said the program made them think and aspire for careers in science and technology. They are more inclined to opt for science for higher education.
- Integration: About 79 percent of students reported that teachers are integrating STEM activities into regular classes and 87 percent stating that teachers regularly encouraged the use of STEM resources that provided by ChildFund India.
- Sustainability: As part of sustainability, 93 percent of students said they want STEM activities to continue in their schools. Teachers too shared that they will keep using the labs and models as students themselves take interest in maintaining them.
Voices from the Ground
The numbers tell only half the story. The real change is in the children. Many girls who once disliked science now dreams of becoming a scientist. A parent said his daughter now comes home excited and explains experiments that she conducted during the STEM classes to them, something they never thought they would hear. Teachers said even quiet and struggling students now ask questions, try experiments, and explain what they have learned in class.
Building a Future of Possibilities
The evaluation makes it clear that the STEM Education Program has transformed classrooms with more engaging and interactive. The program has switched fear into curiosity, hesitation into confidence, and uncertainty into ambition. Most importantly, it has shown that with the right tools, methods, and approach, every child whether boy or girl, rural or urban can develop the skills needed to succeed in the 21st century.
This is not just about improving marks. It is about building resilience, critical thinking, and problem solving skills that is need of the hour and also prepare children for future life. With continued support, this model can be scaled across other underserved regions of India, giving thousands of children the chance to dream bigger and achieve more.
At ChildFund India, we are proud of this journey. STEM is not just about science and technology. It is about creating equal opportunities, nurturing imagination, and building a future where every child can shine.
