July 2, 2018, by Lee Mei Kee
First step into the world of science
On 28th June 2018, students from the Zomi Education Center were invited to the University of Nottingham for some science activities. This event was funded by Cascade Nottingham under the project “Promoting Science using the microscope”. A total of 30 students accompanied by two teachers and a teacher volunteer (Ms Miranne Watley) participated in this science week. The session was led by Dr Then Sue-Mian with a number of Biomedical Sciences student helpers.
Ms Miranne Watley shared her experience:
“Refugee students from the Zomi Education Center, a refugee school in Kuala Lumpur, visited Nottingham on the 28th of June for a morning of science experiments. For the students, it was their first time in a science lab providing Nottingham’s biomedical science students with the unique opportunity to introduce the fundamental principles of lab work to the eager refugees. The day, organized by Professor Kang Nee Ting, featured four experiments ranging from the classic Mentos and coke trick to an examination of insects under microscopes.
Participant viewing a specimen under the microscope.
Students looking at the demonstration of ‘volcano eruption’.
A student helper demonstrating the mentos and coke explosion experiment.
The refugees are not permitted to attend government schools and only have access to education through informal schooling staffed by volunteers. I am currently teaching at the center, even though I am only fifteen, and I am constantly impressed with both their dedication to learning as well as their ability to pick up very quickly on new ideas introduced to them. Sadly, the pupils are not provided with equal opportunities to other students in Malaysia. Many students also board overnight at the Zomi Education Center, because their parents are working elsewhere in Malaysia, leading to a strain on the school’s resources.
Overall, the day was a great success and the refugee students were able to discover a more interactive approach to science with the help of Nottingham’s world-class facilities and the biomedical science students. The principal of the Zomi Education Center said that his students were able to learn “many new things” and expressed his gratitude towards Nottingham University.”
Group photo of the students from Zomi Learning Center, Dr Then Sue-Mian and Biomedical Sciences student helpers.
Article by: Ms Miranne Watley (Volunteer teacher)
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