Mineral chemistry heading to our schools

After active trial participation in the program RM@Schools in 2019, the team from Chemistry Department was invited to the consortium for the 4^th edition of this program, which will be realized again through funding from the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT). The project was recognized by the Ministry of Scientific and Technological Development, Higher Education and Information Society, which supported the project by the budget for gift packages of equipment for classrooms and chemistry cabinets in our schools. Also, the Ministry of Education and Culture, through a letter of support, opened the possibility for the promotion of the project in schools throughout the Republic. The team from Chemistry Department presented the basics of the project and details of previous activities at a presentation at the Ministry of Education and Culture, where the wide possibilities and positive changes that the promotion of the “Raw Materials in Schools” program can bring to chemistry classes were identified.

In the next three years, numerous creative educational activities will be realized, such as summer schools, demonstrations of mineral chemistry in classrooms, conferences and competitions. Perhaps the most important aspect will be part of a program called “Train the trainer”. It is about the transfer of knowledge from colleagues from the European Union to our teachers who will help to, in accordance with the valid curricula, introduce contents from practical classes. These activities will be accompanied by the distribution of appropriate gift packages of equipment, simpler chemicals, and minerals donated from the industry.

In June, the first of the “Train the trainer” workshop was successfully held and it was attended by four young teachers, who graduated at the Chemistry Department and who will be the first beneficiaries of the project together with their students. With pleasure and motivation, they arranged gift packages of equipment that they need for work, and new gatherings with them will continue from the beginning of the new school year.