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Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation(AMC) had decided to develop an influenced Kidzania like theme park, ‘Kids City’ at Kankaria lake front. For kids, by Kids, the Park will be for  2 to 12 years old or up to 14 years of age. Adults are a strictly not allowed to enter the pavilions. AMC will develop children activities such as fire station, police station, bank, hospital, tax collection, public transportation, sports, radio station, etc. AMC had experimented with this idea during Navratri on GMDC grounds and finding it a success, the officials who visited Indonesia earlier this year,are keen to implement the Kidzania theme park at Balvatika, Kankaria. Kidzania - a center for learning and education, are active in Korea, Indonesia, USA, Mexico, Japan, Portugal and Chilly with Dubai Kidzania in the making. Kidzania in Ahmedabad is expected to be an Acitivity House with learning process - Interactive, Educational, Informative and safe for kids.
 

Adopt a Tree
- Kidsfreesouls

AMC has initiated a Tree Adoption Scheme by depositing Rs.1000/- in a bid to turn the city green. As Eco friendly Events will mark the World Environment day at Tagore Hall, the civic body will plant saplings in different parts of the city and host a series of environment awareness programs including 'bicycle rally' and drawing competition. AMC calls for good samaritans to deposit minimum Rs.1,000/- for adopting a tree and the money would be used to nurture them. The name of the adopters would be displayed on 9x9" name plates which would be attached to tree guards. These would be displayed for five years from the date of adoption. Private companies, organisations or individuals can adopt trees. The plantation will be done at roadsides, parks and oxygen parks under the scheme. AMC will bear the rest of cost like watering, ferlizer and cost of tree guards, etc.

June 5, World Environment Day
- Kidsfreesouls

The city celebrates World Environment day on June 5, 2009. Science City has organised a workshop on climate change for school children, teachers and visitors. The theme this year is 'Your Planet Needs You - Unite to Combat Climate Change.' Paint for the Planet Poster competition is held and quiz contests for children is organized. Also sapling plantation drive, screening of biodiversity film and interactions with eminent scientists will take place.

FM Radio has organised a live phone in programme on the theme where listeners can ask questions on 02717-241212. J K Vyas, Director of Forest and Environment Dept, GOG, Dr. N K Jain, Department of Environment Sciences, Guj University will interact with listeners on various aspects of environment education and awareness practices.

British Library is organising a Wildscreen Festival from June 5-14, where films by winners of the Panda Awards, also known as Green Oscars will be screened. Films on Earth Science, wildlife and Climate Change will be screened. Illusrated books on themes will be on display.

The Center of Environment (CEE) is open for public on World Environment day. Poster competition, slogan writing, photography, bag designing and newspaper dressing competitions are held. Participating students of the summer camp will take part in puppet shows, dramatics and mime and also theme pavillion and street play. Visitors can take part in pottery, clay modelling, face painting and origami workshops.

- World Environment Day | Environment column

240 Schools to open
- Kidsfreesouls

Gujarat Education Department will be opening 240 Schools in rural areas where there are no seconday and higher secondary schools. The decision was made after a state wide survey was made by Institute of Space Application and Geo Information (BISAG) identified several rural areas where there were no such education system. By June, 131 Secondary and higher secondary schools will be opened. Of these, 40 schools will offer Science stream and 69 will offer general stream courses. The Government schools will also have Computer rooms, library and other facilities. As recruitment of Teachers begin, priorities are given to English, Maths and Science teachers. Of the secondary schools to open, 21 schools will be in Vadodara district, 17 in Kutch and 16 in Tapi and 9 each in Bharuch and Dangs. Among the higher seconday general stream schools, 13 will be set up in Kutch, 7 in Surendranagar, 6 in Jamnagar, and 4 in Ahmedabad rural. While the students opting for Science stream, 4 schools will be set up in kutch, 5 in Jamnagar, 5 in Bhavnagar and 6 in Surendranagar.

Free books on Traffic Safety rules by ATCC
- Kidsfreesouls

To educate youngsters on Traffic Safety Rules, Ahmedabad Traffic Consultative Committee has come up creative book labels and timetables to be distributed free in city schools. ATCC conducts training session , make presentations on traffic and conduct surveys at schools and colleges. To keep the impact live on these training sessions, the time-table and stickers will be reminders to message of traffic rules. They have created 16 notebook label stickers each with a quotation on top, explaining one traffic rule. The stickers will read: Footpath:Where there is no pavement or footpath, always walk in the direction opposite to the traffic (left of the road). Founder member, Amit Khatri said, "We are targetting over 10,000 students and contacting people to fund the projects." ATCC plans to come with video games on Traffic rules in time to come.

International Day for Biological Diversity
- Kidsfreesouls

On the occasion of International Day for Biological Diversity on May 22, 2009, Government of India is conducting a unique Programme on DNA Club (Department of Biology-DBT's National resource awareness club) for the promotion of bioscience and biodiversity education in the school curriculum. There are 10 DNA clubs with over 600 members in different eco regions of the state that are engaged in sensitising people about the various aspects of environment degradation in order to spread awareness and influence the actions of the policy makers. The Gujarat Science City will also conduct workshops on the theme Biodiversity and Invasive Alien Species. Invasive alien species are whose introduction and/or spread outside their natural past or present distribution threaten biological diversity. A day long seminar for the Science Teachers and nature educators is conducted at Gujarat Science city. A leading newspaper supplement 'Ahmedabad Mirror' in association to SPROUTS, a bombay based organisation has also conducted program for betterment of the Environment at GSC. They have come up with a unique game for Amdavadis to help them find how much they contribute to carbon footprint, a measure of the impact of an individual's daily activities on the environment. The activity is held from 12 noon to 8 p.m. at Children's Activity center at GSC.

Tribal Museum at Gujarat Vidhyapith
- Kidsfreesouls

A tribal Museum is shaping up at Gujarat Vidhyapith which will feature with rich culture and customs of six tribal communities of the state. The Museum showcasing the life of tribals in Gujarat has representations of 17 out of 25 tribal communities in the state. After the inclusion of six more, it will showcase the tradition of 23 tribal communities. Statues, other art works, varying culture, costumes and other things of the six indigenous tribal communities would be placed right outside the existing museum maintained by Tribal Research and Training Institute at Gujarat Vidhyapith. The tribal tradtions of Bavcha, Komla, Rajgond, Pateliya, Dhanka and Fanse Pardhi tribes inside the existing museum are coming up with Virtual outdoor museum. This will give visitors including students and foreigners, an ambiance of tribal villages as soon as they step in to the campus of the museum.  The expenses will be shared by State Government and TRTI (Tribal Research Training Institute). The outdoor museum will have a fencing of bamboo treated with chemicals and the statues will be of Plastic fibre as they can stand heat and rain since the Museum will be an open museum. 

AMC to plant Mahagony Trees
- Kidsfreesouls

Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation is on a 'Green Drive' and the civic body is to plant 2000 Mahagony saplings on city roadsides and vacant plots in the city. The one year old saplings will make streets more picturesque in time to come. The average height of Mahagony tree is 60 feet and it lives for over 100 years. Due to the plantation, the city will get a picturesque view and have a green shade as it suits Ahmedabad climate.

- Trees

Parenting Made Easy
- Kidsfreesouls

A leading Newspaper, Times of India's 'Ahmedabad Mirror' supplement conducted a Summer workshop on Parenting recently. Anju Musafir's of Gandhi International School conducted the workshop which was highly appreciated by the participating parents. Anju discussed topics ranging from love, care and concern necessary for children to parent anxiety and reaction issues. She spoke on dealing with subjects like depression in children and influence of media on them, impact of parents nagging and many other important issues of a secure free and loving childhood development. Participating parents enacted scenes of every day issues faced with children, be it fussing over food, clothes of even friends. A communication view of exchange bridged the gap as Anju moderated the workshop in her most soft skilled spoken techniques offering counselling for better parenting.

- Counselling zone on Kidsfreesouls

Work begins on historic Dandi bridge
- Ahmedabad

The Heritage route Project is implemented as work begins on historic road to Dandi. A paved road, museums and libraries are being built along the 386 km long Heritage route on which Mahatma Gandhi led the famous 'Salt March'. Statues of Gandhiji will be put at several locations along the route. The 21 places where Gandhiji took night halt will also be developed as Heritage sites. The road will cut across villages such as Aslali, Navagam ad Govindpura villages. It took Gandhiji and his followers 24 days to cover the 24 miles to Dandi. Tourism have come with 3 day package wherein people will be able to visit the monuments, museums and libraries and places where Bapu stayed during the journey.  Foreigners of late has been traversing the path of Dandi as they walk down the Heritage route.

Gujarat Vidhyapith offering exotic languages
- Kidsfreesouls

Gujarat Vidhyapith is offering exotic foreign languages and regional languages giving it to a local demand. The Gandhian university started its first two month long summer class to teach French. Other International languages in demand are German, Arabic, Spanish and Russian.  There are many other courses for Indian languages as well. Among the Indian languages, Sanskrit and Urdu have the maximum takers.

Senior Citizen's Park
- Kidsfreesouls

Senior Citizens in Bapunagar in Ahmedabad will have a relaxation zone created by AMC at a cost of 14.08 lacs with amenities that will take care of recreational requirements of the elderly people. AMC has already developed a Citizen park in Vasna, Nava Vadaj and Sabarmati. The Corporation will be working on developing floorings, wall ways, shades and benches. There will be dorm like shades for senior citizens. The shades will be in such a way that they can monitor their grand-children playing in the park.

Ten Schools go 'Herbal'
- Kidsfreesouls

Ten schools in the city to go 'Herbal' as they are set to get Herbal Gardens as part of the Central Govt. scheme. Seven Municipal schools and three Schools of 'Divan Ballubhai' will develop Ayurvedic gardens under the centre's 'Herbal Gardens in Schools' scheme. The ten city Institutions chosen by the National Medicinal Plants Board of the Union Ministry of Health is Family Welfare for executing the scheme will get financial assistance for two years to maintain the gadens and employ gardeners. The initiative will beautify the schools besides educating students. Each school will have four plots. A group of 12 students will nurture each one of them. The number and kind of saplings to be planted will be decided by the Project commitee after consultation with professors of Ayurvedic colleges. The Project will cultivate a sense of responsibility towards environment conservation among students besides familiarising them to medicinal plants.

AMC 'Go Green'

Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation's (AMC) composite efforts to go green' in its fight against global warming might get rewarded soon as it has been shortlisted among 90 cities in the world to be rated on the Global Low Carbon City Index (GLCCI) later this year. GLCCI rating is being undertaken by International Council for Environmental Issues (ICEI) under the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

Dholavira among 'Seven Wonders of India'
- Ahmedabad

Dholavira site, an ancient metropolitan city in Gujarat has been voted as one of the Seven Wonders of India as per the recent poll conducted by a Television News Channel NDTV in association with the Union Ministry of Tourism, Incredible India campaign. Dholavira located in Kutch, in Gujarat was an Indus Valley settlement known for its sophisticated urban planning and architecture. Dating back to 2900 BC, all the buildings are almost exclusively built out of brick. Dholavira has sophisticated water conservation systems, possibly the oldest in the world. The Initiative brought millions of Indians together to vote for natural and manmade marvel of the country. Sun Temple, Khajuraho, Red Fort, Meenakshi Temple, Jaisalmer Fort and Nalanda University were declared the other six wonders.

Golden Temple of Amritsar, was declared as the 'Peaceful Wonder of India' and Tawang Monastery, the 'Spiritual Wonder of India.' The Taj Mahal was honoured as the 'Wonder of the Wonders.'

The announcement was made at a gala ceremony in end of march 2009 at New Delhi where fashion designer Sabyasachi Mukherjee and Berger Paints Sahai announced Dholavira as one of the seven wonders of India.

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State to get CBSE Schools
- Kidsfreesouls

Parents in Gujarat are opting for CBSE (Central Board of Secondary Education)as they feel the textbooks are of better quality and prepares their children for competitive exams. Sources said over 100 schools had applied for affiliation to the central board and that more schools are expected to offer the syllabus from academic years 2010 and 2011. Surat has got permission to start 13 CBSE schools—the highest in the state — followed by Vadodara (9), Valsad (6), Bharuch (7), Ahmedabad (4), Navsari (3), Kutch (2), Junagadh (2), Anand (2) and one each in Panchmahals, Kheda and Bharuch. Gandhinagar will also set up three CBSE schools from the coming academic year.

Schools in Ahmedabad that have got CBSE nod include Amrita Vidyalayam and Nirman High School, Vastrapur. Satvavikas School on SG Highway and Udgam School for Children, that have traditionally been offering the state board syllabus, will offer students the option of shifting to CBSE.

“Not just migrants, even Gujarati parents want to put their children in CBSE schools as they feel the syllabus is of higher quality and also prepares students for competitive exams,” says Raja Pathak of Satvavikas School.

NCERT to introduce Craft Course
- Kidsfreesouls

Titled as 'Living Craft Tradition of India,' NCERT has prepared a textbook which will be introduced from the coming academic session in Class XI as an elective subject for all streams. The textbook is basically a new curriculum that incorporates cultural, social and creative aspects of the country's rich craft tradition into the educational system through both theory and practice. NCERT has prepared a textbook which seeks to help students find jobs in this sector or start independent ventures. Students may take this subject and join an export business or start a venture of their own or train in business management or economics, says NCERT spokesperson. Some might even specialise in museum studies, history, sociology or even anthropology, it is learnt. Statistics reveal that the Craft Sector, other than being a primary source of employment opportunity, is also the highest contributor to export earnings.

Exams begin
- Kidsfreesouls

Class X, XII Board Examinations begin on 17th March which may prove tough for many students this year. Number of students appearing in Class X are 7,76,790, Class XI Science 90,955 and Class XII general 3,63,955. There are 692 exam centers set up for Class X and 327 centers for class XII. More than 903 flying Squads and 756 Center observers will make round during exams. The GSHSEB has decided to be strict with students who copy during exams. The Examiners will welcome students with warm smiles and flowers while they appear for examination. This initiative is taken by GSHSEB to help students to relax before exams. Students will be welcomed with tilak and flowers. The exams will end on 30th March.

New Technology for Road development
- Kidsfreesouls

A novel technology, new microsurfacing method of road repair is being introduced in Gujarat for the first time by National Highways Authority of India. This will be eye opener for state roads, building departments and seven municipals corporations of Gujarat. Microsurfacing machine is the spanish technology being experimented on an 11 km stretch on Ahmedabad Vadodara expressway. It will reduce the cost of road repairs by half and increase road life by three times.

Indian Toy story
- Kidsfreesouls

The Commerce Ministry has lifted the six month ban imposed in January on import of Chinese toys. However, they will have to conform to International standards on health and safety and be accompanied by certificates from accredited laboratories. City based NID has been working on the innovative aspect since 2001 for toy centre and seeking to merge tradition and technology. Prof. Sudarshan Khanna, who started the center is also the head of an International forum called 'Toys for Tomorrow.' NID offers a two and half year postgraduate programme in toy and game design, the only one of its kind in Asia. In Gujarat, Kutch is known for doll making, Idar for wooden toys and puppets made of cloth and wood are made in Vadaj with more families engaged in making paper toys in Maninagar in Ahmedabad.

Global Warming Department
- Kidsfreesouls

Gujarat Government which announced a new Department in State to address issues of climate change and global warming is the first state in Asia and fourth province in the world to dedicate a department to Global warming and climate change. Set up in February, the Department is headed by Narendra Modi, CM to handle issues of Climate Change. The Green priorities would be:

Promote green tech, earn more carbon credits, power saving, preserve ground water, promote CNG network, increase mangrove cover, fund research in green tech, policy for conservation of water, land and air.

Thirty nine clean energy initiatives of energy and petrochemicals, urban transportation, forest and environment, rural development and industrial and mines will fall under this new Department. It will also carry out a study on the impace of global warming along the State's 1600 km. coastline. Gujarat currently has 29 percent share of the entire country's carbon credit, says the CM. Under the Green credit movement, if someone cuts trees to set up an Industry he would have to replace with the same number of full grown trees.

HDFC SPELL BEE 2009
- Kidsfreesouls

Can your school student spell M-A-N-O-E-U-V-R-E correctly? Or Can your students tell the difference between PRINCIPAL and PRINCIPLE?
To test such basic but vital skills, The Times of India Group brings to you a unique and scholarly, yet fun filled quiz contest - HDFC Standard Life Spell Bee - India Spells 2009. Partnering HDFC Standard Life Insurance in this venture are a host of leading companies such as Cello pens, Crizal An Esillor Lens, MakeMyTrip, Strombs, Kingfisher Airlines, National Geographic Channel, MSN, Gini and Jony, Crossword, Radio Mirchi, iDiscoveri Xseed, Shangrila Resorts. This is powered by Times of India and is a 360 degrees initiative. The objective of the exercise is to help and engage Indian students improve their spellings, increase their vocabularies, learn concepts, work on their pronunciations, and develop correct English usage that will help them all their lives. This concept would offer novelty and freshness, & engage them through the mechanics of spellings; a first time initiative. The city rounds would entail usage of various methods to test students on spellings offering proper and repeated pronouncing of each word as well as its etymological meanings. There would also be a lot of fun woven around pictures, symbols etc. used as props to help students spell correctly. The Competitions will be held in 3 Phases. To find more, you can log here for more details on this.

Rectifying Social Science Text Books
- Kidsfreesouls

Gujarat State School Text Board experts will verify contradictory information provided in Class X Social Science and Technology Textbooks after a leading newspaper supplement AM (Ahmedabad Mirror, Times of India) pointed out the factual errors in it's February report. The conflicting information on literacy figures appear in two different textbooks completely are misleading. About the factual jumble in this year's text books, the correct version will be printed in Education Board Journal 'Shikshan Parikshan' distributed in all schools every month. The teachers will be instructed to put up the correction on the notice board and emphasise it while teaching students. This will remove the confusion of the students. However, the book errors will be rectified only later as 2009 textboks are already printed.

Hi Tech Police Patrol
- Kidsfreesouls

Mobile Police Control rooms set up by Ahmedabad Police will be stationed at 18 different locations in the city from 12th February 2009 for any emergency and will function on the lines of 109 Ambulance Vans. A part of Quick Response Cell, 30 teams will be operational round the clock. Flagged by CM Narendra Modi at a function held in Maninagar, the teams will have a Head constable who will direct operations and lead. The spots will be Stadium Five roads, Nehrunagar cross roads, Vasna Bus stand, Thaltej crossroads, Lal Darwaja, RTO circle, Kalupur Darwaza, Geeta Mandir, Rakhial, Bapunagar, etc. places. The Police vehicle will be equipped with GPS system, high tech gadgets and will also have first aid kits. The team will have specially designed Helmets, bullet proof jackets, rifles and torches.

First ever Gandhi Katha
- Kidsfreesouls

As a part of Non Violence through the Art, Darpana Academy of Performing arts has organized the first ever night Gandhi Katha from 2 to 8 February. The unique Katha will be recited by Narayan Desai, son of Mahadev Desai. This will be Narayan Desai's 73rd Katha which he beautifully narrates various incidents and historical fact of events of Gandhi. Narayan Desai has written 'Gandhi Geeto' (songs) to break the monotony which will be sung by artists of Darpana during the narratives. Narayan Desai is Chancellor of Gujarat Vidhyapith, which was founded by Mahatma Gandhi in the city.

CEE - GU tie up for 'Green'
- Kidsfreesouls

CEE has joined hands with Gujarat University to set up a Management Education Centre on Climate Change (MEC-CC). The centre will offer short term and full time degree and diploma courses in business response to climate change, coastal zone management, mitigation approaches and applications, climate change impact management. Other than environmental problems and law, courses will deal with capacity building and research and development activities. The courses will be inaugurated on 2nd February 2009 during the three day 'Understanding Climate Change' Seminar organised by CEE. On the occassion, Scientist Tim Flannery will discuss with students on Global warming. On 1st February, Scientist Tim Flannery will also deliver the 29th Vikram Sarabhai Memorial Lecture on 'We are the Weather Makers (the story of global warming) at AMA complex.

Gandhi Ashram re-look
- Kidsfreesouls

Gandhi Ashram is being integrated to Sabarmati river front Project as stated by Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation. CEPT University has planned a pedestrian access from the riverfront via Dandhi Bridge from where the salt march began. However, the proposal is yet to be accepted by the Ashram Authorities. Public activities, exhibitions and performances on road pavements, developing signages and street furniture, developing plazas at Dandi Bridge area are being actions waiting for confirmation. The Ashram entrance will have a 'place of pause' to orient visitors to the tranquility of the interiors. The 1.5 km Ashram Road which runs through the middle of the Ashram will be fully pedestrianised and obblestones will be laid for an exclusive plaza.

E-Gram Project Initiated
- Kidsfreesouls

Gujarat Initiates e-Gram Project connecting 13716 Gram Panchayats and 6000 Citizen Common Service Centres as a part of the eGram connectivity Project. On the Birthday of Subhash Chandra Bose on 23rd January, CM Narendra Modi launched the e-Gram Vishwagram Project from Haripura, the place where Subhash Chandra Bose had given call for freedom. Some features of e-Gram Project would be like Video conferencing facilities at all villages, issuing the documents and certificates, application forms for various development and welfare schemes. Also 7/12 certificates to the farmers from panchayats. VSat communication technology based broadband connectivity, free of cost communication between panchayats, common service facilities, advantages of Internet and cyber connectivity and electricity-telephone bills, visa, E-postal services and many more facilities are provided through the online e-Gram project website.

Civic Schools Development
- Kidsfreesouls

A budget of Rs.286.81 Crores is announced recently to focus on improving infrastructure and quality education in Municipal Schools. The Ahmedabad Municipal School Board plans to have good uniforms, ties, socks and shoes for students. More than 1.59 lakh kids study in the city's 462 Municipal Schools will have a drop out rate to zero by 2010. The AMC is also planning to introduce biometric cards for teachers of civic schools and plan to form a vigilance squad to keep a tab on 4300 municipal school teachers.

English Medium Trends
- Kidsfreesouls

Gujarati Medium schools are losing out to English as many schools have set up English Wings to meet demand. The Gujarati parents are more willing to place their children in English Medium Schools. As a result, schools like Mount Carmel had to close down their Gujarati medium section as just 10 application forms were taken by parents of which only three submitted the same seeking admission. Even prestigious St. Xavier's Loyala school had only 47 applications for Gujarati medium admission as against 950 applications for admission in English medium. In a state with massive inflow of investment pledges through Vibrant Gujarat, people seems to have realised the importance of studying in a medium which will help fare in a global environment. The Gujarati schools like Diwan Ballubhai has started English medium recently and gets 50 percent application each for both the mediums. CN Vidhyalaya who has been running a gujarati medium school for 60 years have to give in and start English medium school from the next academic year. School like Sharda Mandir, a Gandhian based principles had to give in to the pressure of demand and started English Medium wing. As such, more children are taking Board exams in English, reports Specialist at GSHSEB (Gujarat Secondary and Higher Secondary Board).

Save Girl Child Day = My Daughter-Nation's Pride
- Kidsfreesouls

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