JAMMU: The State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) Jammu and Kashmir today launched Toycathon 2023 with the theme line “Promotion of innovative ideas and revival of local heritage” at J&K Board of School Education.
Principal Secretary of School Education, Alok Kumar, presided over the function while Director IIM Jammu, Dr B.S Sahai, was the guest of honor.
The event was held under the supervision of the Director, SCERT, and Chairman, J&K Board of School Education, Professor Parikshat Singh Manhas.
The brochure of Toycathon 2023 was launched by the Principal Secretary in the presence of Director SCERT J&K and Director IIM Jammu among other dignitaries.
Toycathon 2023 focuses on developing toys and games that reflect innovative ideas, the use of regional resources, and the revival of our local heritage. The registration link along with the QR code was unveiled and declared open for submission of entries on the occasion.
Dr. B S Sahai, while speaking on the occasion, stressed on the importance of creativity and critical thinking among young minds. He appreciated the initiative of the launch of Toycathon for school children by JK SCERT.
Speaking on the occasion, Professor Parikshat Singh Manhas highlighted the importance and need of toys and games for making education holistic, joyful, and experiential. He impressed upon the initiative of designing toys and games to leverage the potential of toys and games in making learning engaging and enjoyable across all ages.
He said that the programme aimed at exploring the rich cultural heritage of Jammu and Kashmir through redesigning/rediscovering toys and games, with innovative ideas. He added that to achieve all our goals as per NEP 2020, being one nation, we have to make our indigenous toys more popular all over the world as these are in consonance with both tradition and nature so that the Indian value system, Indian culture, and our eco-friendly approach towards the things can be visioned globally.
He said that Toycathon 2023 is an event of learning by experimentation and creative activity. Toys and games introduce children to a scientific method of working i.e. the basis of innovation.
The Programme focused on creating awareness among educators to realize the importance and role of toys and games to make the teaching-learning process effective and experiential.
The concept for the preparation of Toys/Games for the Toycathon event would be based on themes including Regional Culture- Historical events, Heritage and regional freedom fighters, out-of-the-box creative, logical and scientific thinking, learning, education and schooling, social and human values, occupation and its specific fields, environment, rediscovering traditional local toys, any toys/games applicable for specially-abled child and fun based toys for joyful learning.
During the launch of the event, Schools, JKSCERT KD, and DIETs across the UT were connected through live YouTube streaming and Google Meet for facilitating maximum participation in the event.
The Toycathon event will be held under three categories i.e. class 6th to 8th, class 9th to 10th and class 11th to 12th in four phases. The participants should register themselves for the event through Google Forms and submit their ideas in the prescribed format. They should make toys/games as per the themes mentioned. The last date for submission of ideas is 25th July 2023. The Grand finale of the event will be held in the month of September/October 2023.
Tassaduq Hussain, Director of School Education, Kashmir, Mohammad Shareef Dedar, Joint Director JKSCERT, divisional office Kashmir connected through online mode.
