Bangalore: Close to 1,200 underprivileged children studying in government and municipal schools will be helped with their science and mathematics lessons by highly-qualified teachers from prestigious private schools.

This community initiative programme called Quest is being supported by Agilent Technologies Foundation. The U.S.-based firm specialises in communications, electronics, life sciences and chemical analysis.

Maths and science are the subjects children from underprivileged backgrounds find most difficult to cope with because even their teachers lack access to new teaching aids. Under this programme, teachers from private schools would train teachers in government schools how to make these subjects fun to learn.

Venkatesh Valluri, president and country general manager, Agilent India, says: "A strong foundation in maths and the sciences help a student move forward on a career path. There are many bright students in government schools who do not get the right opportunities to learn on an equal footing with their more privileged counterparts.

"The interest of the student has to be stimulated to bring about changes in their thought process."

Agilent and a designated non-governmental organisation will identify the schools to be involved.

The first to join the programme is Indus International School near Sarjapur Road. The teachers from this school will interact with teachers from Sardar Vallabhai Patel Government School and will share teaching concepts and methodologies. Two other government schools will soon be involved. Besides funding the programme, Agilent employees will also contribute to the training initiative.

The company also has an after school programme where children are involved in live science experiments

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