Shell educational programme benefits students, teachers

Times News Service

MUSCAT: As part of the “Solar into Schools” initiative, Shell Development Oman recently launched NXplorers, a global Shell educational programme, in schools across Oman.

The company worked together with the Ministry of Education and Engineering Village, a local SME, to implement the curricula in 10 current and future solar schools. The carefully developed programme has already benefitted around 600 students, and has equipped 20 science teachers and career advisors with the necessary information and methods to nurture the development of Omani youth.

Curricula

NXplorers is a proven, innovative education programme for young people that focuses on finding innovative ways to solve food, water and energy problems. The curricula involve a complex problemsolving methodology and integrate system thinking, scenario planning and theory of change.

They also incorporate STEM learning techniques to help students visualise real life challenges and introduce skill sets needed to coach the youth. They provide future scientists, engineers, innovators and leaders with practical tools to succeed in today’s world.

Muna Al Shukaili, GM – External Relations and Social Investment Lead at Shell Development Oman, said, “When we first devised the Solar into Schools project back in 2015, as Shell’s fifth gift to the nation, we wanted it to be something that would create value for the country, have a longstanding impact and support diversification of the economy.

“In addition to supporting the budding Omani solar SME sector, one of the main aims of Shell’s Solar into schools project is to enhance the focus on future energies, critical thinking and innovation in schools’ science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) curricula. That is exactly why we launched the NXplorers programme in these solar schools. We are helping to raise awareness about the Sultanate’s energy transition among school children to inspire them to think innovatively and aspire to drive change.”

In August 2018, Shaping Learning, Shell’s global and strategic training partner, successfully trained a team from the Engineering Village, an Omani SME. They are now fully capable of implementing NXplorers in solar schools across the Sultanate.

So far, five schools under the “Solar into Schools” initiative have been completed in Nizwa, Al Buraimi, Salalah, Sohar and Saham. In addition, Shell Development Oman signed further agreements with local SMEs to implement the project in additional schools across the Sultanate.