Repair, Restore and Reuse of School Lab Equipment
- Project Summary
This proposal outlines a project aimed at repairing, restoring, and reusing valuable school lab equipment, mainly optical (E.g., Microscopes, Spectroscopes, Traveling Microscopes, Telescopes) and weighting equipment (E.g., Triple Beam Balances, and four Beam Balances) to address the financial constraints faced by schools in purchasing new equipment due to the current economic crisis in Sri Lanka. By repairing existing equipment, this project will ensure continued access to essential resources for students, enhancing the quality of practical science education and promoting sustainable practices. It will facilitate teaching scientific concepts and increase the quality of science education.
- Project Background
The current economic crisis has significantly impacted schools, leaving them with insufficient funds to purchase new lab equipment. This insufficiency of resources hinders the quality of science education and limits students’ opportunities for hands-on learning and experimentation. It will adversely affect future society by the insufficient ability of problem-solving. This project addresses this challenge by providing a cost-effective solution to repair, restore, and reuse existing equipment. Therefore, this project helps to:
- Reduce the financial burden on schools.
- Extend the lifespan of valuable equipment and maximize resource utilization.
- Promote sustainability by minimizing waste and conserving resources.
- Ensuring continued access to essential lab equipment for students.
- Provide more opportunities for practical learning in science education.
- Increase skills in equipment handling of students.
- The Importance of the Project
Lab equipment purchased during the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s holds a notable advantage after refurbishment compared to more recent models. In particular, equipment from reputable brands such as Nikon, Olympus, and Beclondon, manufactured in the UK, the USA, and Japan, remains in excellent condition. While purchasing a new microscope from these brands can cost approximately USD 500 (Rs. 165,000), refurbishing and reusing an older model only costs Rs. 2,000 to Rs. 2,500. In some schools, there are 20 to 50 such pieces of equipment, but only 2 to 3 are in working condition for specific purposes. Refurbishing these items extends their useful life by an additional 5 to 10 years. The value of older, well-maintained equipment is estimated to be between Rs. 2 to 3 million, but refurbishment costs only range from Rs. 75,000 to Rs. 100,000.
Therefore, supporting this project would significantly impact the quality of science education in schools, making advanced lab equipment more accessible and sustainable.
- Project Objectives
- Repair and reuse a significant number of lab equipment in schools.
- Develop efficient and affordable repair processes to maximize with a minimum cost.
- Develop a partnership with schools and relevant stakeholders to identify and collect equipment for repair.
- Train school staff on basic maintenance and care of equipment to ensure a long lifespan of lab equipment.
- Establish a sustainable model for long-term program implementation.
- Improve the quality of science education through the practical teaching-learning process.
- Project Activities
- Equipment Identification and Collection: Collaborate with schools to identify and collect damaged microscopes and other lab equipment for repair.
- Assessment and Repair: Disassemble and assess the equipment to determine required repairs and spare parts. Implement efficient repair processes to minimize costs and ensure functionality.
- Quality Control: Conduct thorough quality checks and calibration to ensure the repaired equipment meets safety and performance standards.
- Equipment Distribution: Hand over the repaired equipment to designated schools with proper documentation and provide training on maintenance.
- Data Collection: Track the impact of the project on student learning outcomes and school resources to demonstrate its effectiveness and inform future initiatives.
- Project Timeline
- Phase 1 (3 months): Project planning, partnership development, equipment identification and collection.
- Phase 2 (6 months): Equipment assessment, repair, quality control, and training.
- Phase 3 (3 months): Equipment distribution, monitoring and evaluation, reporting.