• Education
    Education

Carasso Science Park, Be’er Sheva

JNF UK is bringing quality science education to children and teenagers in the Negev area, in partnership with the Carasso Science Park. By creating seven special laboratories in this impressive facility, we have enabled the teaching of science at an advanced level in a region which could not otherwise keep up with the rate of Israeli scientific progress.

In the south of Israel, there is currently a significant lack of school laboratories and sufficiently trained science teachers within the secondary school education system. Consequently, many students are unable to specialise in scientific subjects and their chances of pursuing a career in this field are stopped before they have even begun.

In an attempt to address this important issue, JNF UK is proud to partner with the Carasso Science Museum in Be’er Sheva.

Built with the sole purpose of promoting and developing science and technology education in the Negev, Carasso is the largest science museum in Israel. It is a truly cutting edge facility with hundreds of interactive experiments and exhibitions that bring science to life, opening up a world of possibility. With a team of 22 professional teachers, the museum works hand in hand with local schools, teaching between 50,000 to 60,000 children each year through their formal education programme.

JNF UK funded the equipping of six laboratories in the Museum, each one specialising in a different scientific subject, such as genetics, energy and so on. The subjects are taught at an advanced level to teenagers, by one of the museum’s highly skilled teachers and  give these students the facilities and tutoring they need to pursue a career in science.

In addition, JNF UK also funded the creation of a Fabrication Laboratory – or ‘Fab Lab’ – in the museum. This is the first of its kind in the Negev. A ‘Fab Lab’ is a small-scale workshop offering access to modern means of invention, such as 3D printers, laser cutters and so much more. It is a place where someone could make almost anything and its practical applications are endless. For the first time ever, students in the Negev can receive hands-on experience with this technology, providing incredible enrichment opportunities and opening their minds to a whole new world of innovation.

JNF UK is proud to support these projects, which will undoubtedly have a profound effect upon the children of the Negev and will assist in creating the next generation of Israeli scientists and innovators.

FIGURES

400 school children visit the science park every day
22 full time professional teachers
50,000 to 60,000 children taught each year at the Museum
60% of visitors (not schools) come from central Israel – bringing tourism to the area