Media Release

Mangaluru, Mar 11: The Centre for Advanced Learning (CFAL) and Early Learning Centre (ELC) are launching ‘Tinker Lab’, a four-week world-class STEM summer camp in Mangaluru. The programme, the first of its kind in coastal Karnataka, is scheduled to run from April 1 to April 30, 2026, between 9 am and 2 pm.

The camp is open to students aged 8–16 from any school. Built around the philosophy that every participant should leave with a tangible creation, the curriculum ensures that each student completes more than 20 hands-on projects by the end of the four-week period.

Four specialized activity labs

The camp features four distinct labs, each led by a specialist teacher to provide immersive learning experiences:

• Science Lab: Students conduct real experiments, build measuring instruments, and test chemicals. Following the Nuffield method used in UK schools, participants are encouraged to deduce scientific principles independently.

• Maker Lab: This lab focuses on engineering and design. Students build and program robots and work on creative local projects, such as embedding lights into bottles and painting traditional Mangaluru clay roof tiles.

• Maths Circles: Inspired by the Berkeley Math Circle programme in the United States, students solve complex puzzles and real-world problems in small groups, treating mathematics as a field of exploration.

• Tree Census: As part of an ongoing research record, students count, measure, and record data on every tree on the CFAL campus.

Business Day and Maker Fair

During the final week, student teams experience entrepreneurship by creating a product, selling it, and tracking income and expenses. The camp concludes with a public Maker Fair on the final day, where students present their projects, deliver short talks on their work, and receive awards.

The Maker Fair is open to the public, including families, educators, and those interested in student innovation.

Speaking on the initiative, Vijay Moras, director of CFAL, said, "We looked at what the best learning programmes in the world actually do and asked: why should children in Mangaluru have access to anything less? Tinker Lab is our answer."

Quick facts

• Dates: April 1 – April 30, 2026 (Mon–Fri)

• Time: 9 am to 2 pm

• Venue: CFAL & ELC Campus, Mangaluru

• Eligibility: Students aged 8–16 from any school

• Capacity: 100 spots (limited)

• Contact: +91 6360238816 or +91 9900520233 for fee details

About CFAL and ELC

The Centre for Advanced Learning (CFAL) is an institution built on the principle of experiential learning, offering academic programmes and enrichment activities that connect students to real-world outcomes.

Early Learning Centre (ELC) India is a Mangaluru-based school providing education from playgroup to Grade 10. The school emphasizes open-ended, child-led learning where teachers act as guides to facilitate student exploration.