Chatra school trees speak through QR codes | Ranchi News

Chatra: Trees at Upgraded Middle School, Puraini, come alive with a scan of QR code fixed on each — with information narrated not by machines, but by students themselves.The initiative, led by principal Vikas Singh, has transformed the campus, located in Mayurhund block of Chatra district, into a hub of experiential learning by blending greenery with technology. Instead of textbook-based lessons, children learn about nature by interacting with it directly.The school, which has a total of 106 students from Classes I to VIII and six teachers, has developed a mini green ecosystem with nearly 1,345 trees of different species, including mango, teak, peepal, banyan, gulmohar, jamun and mahogany. Of these, 44 trees have been equipped with QR codes providing details about species, ecological significance, and uses.The information is delivered through recordings made by students, making learning more engaging. “Children should experience nature beyond books. This initiative helps them identify trees while enjoying the process,” the principal said.Students access the content using their parents’ or teachers’ mobile phones. “It is very interesting to learn about trees this way,” said Class VI students Kanhaiya Kumar and Siddharth Kumar.Beyond academics, students are actively involved in maintaining the green campus — from growing vegetables to making pickles from mangoes produced on campus, which are later used in mid-day meals.Despite limited resources, the school has earned recognition at district and state levels, including honour at a state function on January 26, 2025, and a nomination for a national award.Teachers said the effort shows how technology can enhance, rather than replace, the traditional method of learning. Ram Sajeevan Singh said, “Here, technology is not replacing nature, it is helping children discover it in a new way. Children have become their voices.”Parents of the children enrolled in the school, Binod Singh and Suman Kumar, said they were elated that the school has earned a name for imparting lessons in a better environment as well as bringing students close to nature.“Similar models could help promote environmental awareness on a larger scale,” said Suman.The QR codes also provide information about the school itself.