New Beginning

New Beginning 

New Morning, New Rays, New Hopes, New Life, New Charisma, New Zeal, New Style, New Memories, New Friends, New Paths New Dreams and New Beginning….. Welcome 2016

Faith 

Amol Nakve

Transformation Begins

Transformation Begins

Green Skills initiative in Schools would transform rural community and help in climate change too.

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 -           - Amol Nakve

Now the children of Sahoo Village of Chamba district in Himachal Pradesh are mastering their skills on trade which has been the only source of income for their parents and ancestors, i.e., agriculture that too is part of the school syllabus along with their regular subjects. Yes, you read it right, school-going kids are mastering their skills on agricultural practices while studying their regular subjects. This is one of the very important innovative practices which have been just initiated in the traditional education system.

The gap between industry and academics has widened in the knowledge based world. In our traditional education system, we used to study subjects like history, maths, science, etc., but we were far away from the skill sets which might help us to gain meaningful livelihood. With prior recognition of the need of skilling in our country, National Skill Development Policy was formulated in 2009 to skill unskilled workforce.

Agriculture has lost its sheen since independence. National Sample Survey Organization (NSSO) study reveals that 42% farmers want to quit farming if given an alternative and 62% farmers don’t want their children to pursue agriculture as a career option. And this situation will be more visible if precursors of agriculture remain same.

In recent years, a couple of state government has started vocational subject in their schools to make education more relevant to the new era.

School children of standard IXth, of the Government Senior Secondary School (GSSS), Sahoo, Himachal Pradesh, is having option to choose any one of the vocational subjects as an optional subject. This would be level one for standard IXth, and these students have to pursue the vocational subject for the next 3 years, i.e.,  till XIIth standard when they will have completed 4 levels   and will be awarded with completion of 4 levels of that  chosen vocational subject. 

These students from a small village after completion of this secondary education will be equipped with horticulture and will not have to depend upon further education for their livelihood. Children are taking up this course with loads of enthusiasm. The whole curriculum is focused more practically stressing more on the outcome. Every class is having theory, field visits, guest lectures and industrial visits. The curriculum is designed in such a way that every student is meaningfully engaged and giving their best to excel.        

National Skill Qualification Framework (NSQF), is Ministry of Human Resource Development’s flagship program for linking traditional education and vocational trainings. This program is anchored of NSDA (Nation Skill Development Agency) and implemented through NSQC. Sector Skill Councils will represent industry for job roles for particular levels and the program is executed at school and college of the respective state government. This framework supports and enhances national as well as international mobility of person compliant qualification. The NSQF is based on an outcome based approach and each level is defined and described in terms of competency level that would need to achieve in jobs.

Under this program, 10 levels have been developed with respect to complexity, knowledge required to represent competence and outcome of the job role.  The trade of agriculture is having jobs like paddy farmer, dairy worker, sugarcane cultivator, micro irrigation technician, vegetable farmer, gardener, floriculturist (open and protected cultivation), etc.

It is needless to say that such efforts are again helping the economy to make fundamentals strong as must be the case of agrarian economy.

Small and marginal farmers constitute major portion of agriculture segment (81%). And this is the strata where immediate intervention is required to protect the larger future interest of the country. Hope that NSQF in agriculture as a vocational subject will be a major strategic intervention to protect the potential farmers. Also with the hope that NSQF programs would reach to all government schools in all other remaining states.

(The author is currently working with India’s leading skills development organization that is credited with pioneering Skills Development in India. He can be followed on https://www.linkedin.com/in/amolnakve / email ID: nakveamol1@gmail.com )

Views of the author are personal.

Tiranga

तिन रंगाचा हा तिरंगा !
इंद्र धनुश्यावानी सजला !


प्रथम आला तो नारंगी !
ऐक्याचे प्रतिक बनला !


दुसर्यात आली ती शुभ्रता !
अशोक चकराने रंगला तिरंगा !


शेवटी आता तो हिरवा !
पर्यवारानाचे प्रतिक बनला !


तिन रंगाचा हा तिरंगा !
इंद्र धनुश्यावानी सजला !



- Amol Nakve

There is need to write more.............

There is need to write more when you are in love...
There is need to write more when you are in struggle....
There is need to write more when you are in trouble....
There is need to write more when you are in fight.....
There is need to write more when you are in agony.....

Because you are creating beautiful path for others.....



Faith
Amol Nakve