Ministry of Education organizes two-day workshop to share knowledge on STARS and focuses on a strong educational ecosystem | Education

The workshop, focusing on school-to-work transition and strengthening the assessment system, was inaugurated by Uday Pratap Singh, Minister of State for Transport and School Education. The workshop emphasized the Ministry of Education’s commitment to fostering a robust educational ecosystem that prepares students for the challenges of the future workforce.

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Singh, during his inaugural address, said that the National Education Policy 2020 emphasizes the all-round development of children. He also mentioned that the STARS project will play a crucial role in transforming the education system.

On the first day of the workshop, Sanjay Kumar, Secretary, DoSE&L, provided essential context for the workshop, emphasizing the importance of bridging the gap between education and employment. Vipin Kumar, Additional Secretary, DoSE&L, welcomed all the participants in the workshop, giving them ample scope for learning. Dr. Sanjay Goyal, Secretary, Department of Education, Madhya Pradesh, highlighted the importance of this workshop and the cross-learning that can happen between states through such platforms.

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The first panel discussion, moderated by Vipin Kumar, focused on the role of policy frameworks such as the National Education Policy 2020, National Curriculum Framework (NCF) and National Credit Framework (NCrF) in school-to-school transitions. job. Discussions highlighted the integration of skills education into school curricula, the role of the NCF in fostering multidisciplinary learning and adaptability, and the importance of continuous evaluation and updating of curricula to match the industry standards. The panel also addressed the promotion of real-world exposure through internships and apprenticeships under NEP and NCrF, the flexibility of learning routes through NCrF and the role of policies in bridging the gap between academia and industry .

Dinesh Prasad Saklani, Director, NCERT, in his presentation that departments should work in integration and not in silos, with a common vision of strengthening the education system for our future generations. He also highlighted the need to align the curriculum with industry demands to make the transition from school to work smoother for young students.

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Usha Titus, Director General, Kerala Additional Skills Acquisition Programme, moderated a panel discussion on psychometric analysis and career counseling in skill education. The discussion focused on evaluating the effectiveness of career guidance programs using data from psychometric assessments, evolving trends in career guidance, and challenges faced in preparing students for the future workforce.

Supriya AR, Kerala SPD, discussed industry partnerships and work-based learning opportunities, leading to a panel discussion moderated by Rajesh Sharma, SPD, Himachal Pradesh. The panel discussed creating effective partnerships between schools and industry bodies, collaborating on programs, internships and job placement efforts, and identifying best practices to improve work-based learning.

On the second day, in his opening remarks, Vipin Kumar, Additional Secretary, DoSE&L, discussed the current effectiveness and need for improvement of assessment models. Smt. Idzes Angmo Kundan, Principal Secretary, Maharashtra gave an interesting presentation on Psychometric Analysis and Career Guidance in Skill Education where he highlighted the 3Ps approach to career choice i.e. Personal Interest, Parental Approach and Possible opportunities.

Dinesh Singh Kushwaha, Director of Public Instruction, Madhya Pradesh, gave a compelling presentation on improving student outcomes by strengthening assessment systems for future education. Jonas Bertling, Director of the Educational Testing Service (ETS), spoke about innovations in educational testing. Major Vishal Sharma, Secretary, Himachal Pradesh Board of Secondary Education, highlighted the innovative assessment practices that empower students for their future education.

Pardeshi Siddharth Komal, Chief Secretary, Chhattisgarh, gave a presentation on the implementation of VSK in the state of Chhattisgarh. He moderated a panel discussion on VSK modes and integration of evaluation results for informed decision making. The panel provided information on the objectives and components of VSK, including data collection and analysis, and strategies for integrating assessment results with learning objectives.

Ashish Modi, Director of Secondary Education, Rajasthan, gave a compelling presentation on the importance of an assessment cell. The presentation was followed by a panel discussion on the topic Strengthening Assessment Cells in States, which was moderated by MP Shanmuga Sundaram, Principal Secretary, Basic Education, Uttar Pradesh. The panel discussed the role of evaluation cells in improving educational effectiveness, innovative practices adopted by these cells and the challenges they face along with mitigation strategies.

The workshop concluded with key takeaways summarized by Vipin Kumar. He highlighted strategies to improve assessment systems and school-to-work transitions.