NSHM to train teachers on lateral thinking techniques

Kolkata, Jan 29 (UNI) NSHM Knowledge Campus will impart training to teachers from 30 schools in West Bengal on lateral thinking techniques to usher in innovation and creativity among young minds.

Speaking at the launch of a pilot project by NSHM Knowledge Campus in collaboration with the De Bono School of Lateral Thinking and Cognitive Intelligence, chief mentor of NSHM Campus Cecil Antony here today said, ''In the first phase, 30 schools of West Bengal and Kolkata would be screened and shortlisted for the Training of Teachers (ToT) programme. The teachers would then implement the De Bono thinking techniques and skills in their schools.

Mr Antony said, ''For the first time, the pioneering works of Edward De Bono, who has written over 60 books with translations into 37 languages, would be translated in all major Indian regional languages.'' The first book in the series to be launched would be the Bengali version of ''Six Thinking Hats'', he said, adding other Indian language editions would soon follow.

''Our broader objective is to ensure that these thinking concepts and techniques find practical use in our daily lives and stimulate creative thinking, innovation and develop problem resolving abilities, especially among the youth,'' Mr Antony said.

NSHM's Head of Learning Systems Prof Krishnendu Sarkar said: ''As part of a Reach Out programme, 360 schools across India, 90 from each zone, would be brought under the ambit of the project over the next five years to impart De Bono techniques to over five lakh students.'' Speaking on lateral thinking process, chief mentor of the Cognitive Research Trust (CoRT) Peter De Bono said, ''Lateral thinking involves disrupting the apparent thinking sequence and arriving at the solution from another angle.'' UNI DPM LL HS BD2125