How schools are working towards skill development of students in line with NEP 2020

To align and empower the youth with 21st century skills while integrating vocational training to achieve the vision of an Aatmanirbhar Bharat, various convergence efforts across the education ecosystem are made to incorporate skill learning at different levels.

The fast-changing world is calling for a skilled workforce to meet global needs. To enable today’s children to be the smart and robust workforce of tomorrow the NEP 2020 has emphasised on vocational and new-age skills integrated with general education. The focus on vocational education will help students in acquiring various futuristic skills to meet the needs of the industries and to improve the quality of education. To align and empower the youth with 21st century skills while integrating vocational training to achieve the vision of an Aatmanirbhar Bharat, various convergence efforts across the education ecosystem are made to incorporate skill learning at different levels.

Education institutions are also now focusing on skill development at school levels can be divided into six broad categories Communication Skills/ Self-Management Skills, Information and Communication Technology Skills, Entrepreneurship Skills, Financial Skills, Fitness & Wellness, Volunteerism and Green Skills...

Communication Skills/ Self-Management Self

Preparing the workforce with competence that meets the industry requirements is the challenge that must be dealt by vocational education today. The workforce thus created or produced by the colleges often fail to meet the industry's needs. As a result, many graduates are unemployed as no industry can provide jobs for them. They are not equipped with the top of knowledge and technical. The vocational education study program needs some general skills and soft skills to help them find jobs and be successful at work.

Communication skill, a soft skill which indeed is a must-know for all. Schools need to implement activities pertaining to developing reading, writing, comprehension, and speaking skills in children.  Activities such as story writing, poem writing, debates, public speaking, dramatics, script writing, various projects, essay writing, and many more help children in enhancing their communication skills. Schools imbibe leadership skills, and good habits in students through activities, special talks by experts, camps, excursions in India and abroad, where students understand the importance of such skill for the future. 

Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Skills

Computer education is almost like learning a language (Hindi, English) right from kindergarten of any school now.  When it is integrated in studies students enjoy learning and learn a skill most imperative for future generations. ICT as vocational education is the most sought-after in the current generation of students. Schools are teaching computer languages like Python, C++ Java and others. These languages help children and train them in ICT skills. 

Entrepreneurship Skills

Entrepreneurship education should not be confused with general business or economic studies, as its goal is to promote creativity, innovation, and self-employment. Entrepreneurship refers to an individual’s ability to turn ideas into action with the skills of innovation, critical thinking and creativity in them. To enhance the employability and entrepreneurial abilities of the students and to make it aspirational, it is utmost importance to introduce entrepreneurial skills as suggested by NEP 2020 in the early vocational education level (Higher Secondary level).  It is suggested that more and more activity-based learning could be introduced keeping design thinking in mind.  

To foster entrepreneurial mindset and abilities problem-driven and experiential learning is essential through practical projects and activities. Students participate in such activities and gain experience & confidence to ideate, innovate and lead thereby they are learning by doing the real-life practical projects and gain entrepreneurship skills. Problem-driven and experience-oriented education is essential to fostering entrepreneurial mindsets and abilities. 

It is important to provide exposure to work environment; and generate awareness amongst students about various career options so as to enable them to make a choice in accordance with their aptitude, competence and aspirations; this can be achieved through school-level internship programmes where children take up projects in various organisations to gain knowledge of the real-time work nitty gritty. 

Financial Skills

Financial Literacy an integral component of 21st Century Skills, it equips students with the knowledge and skills needed to manage money effectively. It is one of the major components of 21st Century Literacy Skills. Financial Literacy is a stepping-stone in the world of finance where the children are taught about the importance of money and how to handle it. Later, these children become self-sufficient and achieve financial stability. Those who understand the subject can answer several questions about purchases, such as whether an item is required, whether it is affordable, and whether it is an asset or a liability.

To ingrain financial skills Schools are taking the students to banks to know the functioning of a bank, understand credit and debt, balance sheets and much more. Through various flagship events of schools, children understand how to negotiate for sponsorship, market their event and others. 

Fitness & Wellness, Cultural & Social Skills

Physical Education as a subject compulsory till class X, and the Senior Secondary has it as a choice. Sports are embedded in learning right from the early school days. As the route to develop human capital from an early age and nurture the sense of social harmony and entanglement by taking its first step in the form of Physical Education is an important part of school curriculum.  Physical Education plays a vital role in upscaling the current education system standards and effectiveness as a vocational skill for higher secondary students. The various sporting events make people aware of the momentous advantages of sports, and also help in changing stereotypes towards it. This shift of attitude has made parents comfortable to let their wards indulge in sports activities, giving parents an opportunity to play a role in improving the education system and taking sports as a career in the future. 

Volunteerism and Green Skills

Volunteerism and green skills are important aspects of learning social responsibility and building a sustainable world. As such projects train children for designing a sustainable future for them to live in happily. The world needs more and more Green Skilled workforce as the future Sustainable Development Goals 9 and 12 emphasise on upgrading and retrofitting industries and achieving sustainable management and efficient use of natural resources by 2030. Keeping this in mind the NEP 2020 has included green skills in its Vocational Education. Schools are promoting the same by teaching agricultural skills and making a greener planet. 

To strengthen the educational ecosystem and align Vocational education by integrating it with general education under NEP 2020 Schools are walking together hand in hand helping each other by sharing their resources and infrastructure through the hub school concept to fill up any learning gap.

Samagra Shiksha

An integrated scheme for school education by the Government of India seeks to integrate vocational education with general education to nurture employable, skilled and aspirational human resources to compete in the local and global job market and not just be job seekers but job creators by mastering entrepreneurial skills.

Thoughts and views in the above article are shared by Dr Silpi Sahoo, Chairperson, SAI International Education Group.

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