The Department of School Education & Literacy (DoSE&L), Ministry of Education, hosted a two-day Strengthening Teaching-Learning and Results for States (STARS) knowledge sharing workshop in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, from 30th September to 1st October 2024. The workshop, focusing on School-to-Work Transition and Strengthening the Assessment System, was inaugurated by Shri Uday Pratap Singh, Minister of Transport and School Education, Madhya Pradesh. 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.

Shri Singh during his inaugural speech said that the National Education Policy 2020 emphasises on the overall development of children. He also mentioned that the STARS project will play a crucial role in the transformation of the education system.

Day 1: School-to-Work Transition

Shri Sanjay Kumar, Secretary, DoSE&L, in the inaugural session, provided essential context for the workshop, emphasizing the importance of bridging the gap between education and employment. Shri Vipin Kumar, Additional Secretary, DoSE&L, welcomed all the participants in the workshop providing great scope for learning. Dr. Sanjay Goyal, Secretary, Department of Education, Madhya Pradesh, highlighted the importance of this workshop and cross-learning which can happen between the states through such platforms.

The first panel discussion, moderated by Shri Vipin Kumar, focused on the role of policy frameworks such as National Education Policy 2020, National Curriculum Framework (NCF), and National Credit Framework (NCrF) in school-to-work transitions. Discussions highlighted the integration of skill 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 industry standards. The panel also addressed the promotion of real-world exposure through internships and apprenticeships under NEP and NCrF, the flexibility of learning pathways through NCrF, and the role of policies in bridging the gap between academia and industry.

Prof. Dinesh Prasad Saklani, Director, NCERT, in his presentation, said that departments need to 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 the industry demands to make school-to-work transition more seamless for young learners.

Shri Biswajit Saha, Director, Skills, CBSE, talked about strengthening 21st century skills across CBSE schools and moderated a panel discussion on the challenges and potential solutions in integrating skill hubs into the educational landscape, sharing experiences and best practices, and discussing strategies for effective implementation within schools and communities.

A panel discussion on psychometric analysis and career counselling in skill education was moderated by Dr. Usha Titus, Managing Director, Additional Skill Acquisition Programme, Kerala. The discussion centred on assessing the effectiveness of career counselling programs using data from psychometric assessments, evolving trends in career counselling, and the challenges faced in preparing students for the future workforce.

Dr. Supriya A.R., SPD of Kerala, discussed the partnerships with industry and work-based learning opportunities, leading to a panel discussion moderated by Shri Rajesh Sharma, SPD, Himachal Pradesh. The panel discussed building effective partnerships between schools and industry bodies, collaborating on programs, internships, and job placement efforts, and identifying best practices to enhance work-based learning.

Day 2: Strengthening Assessment System

On the second day, in his opening remarks, Shri Vipin Kumar, Additional Secretary of DoSE&L, discussed  the current effectiveness and need for improvement in assessment models. Smt. Idzes Angmo Kundan, Principal Secretary, Maharashtra, delivered an insightful presentation on Psychometric Analysis and Career Counselling in Skill Education, where she highlighted the 3 P approach to career choice, i.e., Personal interest, Parental approach, and Possible Opportunities.

Shri Dinesh Singh Kushwaha, Director, Public Instructions, Madhya Pradesh, made a compelling presentation on enhancing student outcome through strengthening assessment systems for future education. Dr. Jonas Bertling, Director of Educational Testing Service (ETS), discussed innovations in educational assessment. Dr. Maj. Vishal Sharma, Secretary, Himachal Pradesh Board for Secondary Education, highlighted innovative assessment practices that empower students for future education.

A presentation on VSK implementation in the state of Chhattisgarh was presented by Shri Pardeshi Siddharth Komal, Principal Secretary, Chhattisgarh. He moderated a panel discussion on VSK Modes and Integrating Assessment Outcomes for Informed Decision-Making. The panel provided insights on objectives and components of VSK including data collection and analysis, and strategies for integrating assessment outcomes with learning objectives.

Shri Ashish Modi, Director, Secondary Education, Rajasthan, made a compelling presentation on the importance of an assessment cell. The presentation was followed by a panel discussion on the theme of Strengthening Assessment Cells in states, which was moderated by Dr. M.K. Shanmuga Sundaram, Principal Secretary – Basic Education, Uttar Pradesh. The panel discussed the role of assessment cells in enhancing educational effectiveness, innovative practices adopted by these cells and the challenges faced along with strategies for mitigation.

The workshop concluded with key takeaways summarized by Shri Vipin Kumar. He underlined strategies for enhancing assessment systems and school-to-work transitions.

The event was graced by Shri Nilambuj Sharan, Senior Economic Advisor, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Government of India; Shri Deepak Paliwal, Joint Director, PSSCIVE; Col. Santosh Kumar, Director, NCVET; Shri Narayanan Ramaswamy, National Head (Education and Skilling), KPMG; Smt. R. Vimala, SPD, Maharashtra; Smt. Ananya Das, SPD of Odisha; Shri Somit Shrivastava, Joint Commissioner (Per), Kendriya Vidhyalaya Sangathan; Shri Nitin Kapoor, CEO and Head, NSDC Academy; Shri Marvell Doss, Regional Director, Regional Directorate of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Bhopal; Shri Vibhash Trivedi, General Manager, Strategy and Operations, Skill Council for Green Jobs; Shri Ambrish Datta, Founder & CEO of Skillsvarsity; Shri Rohit Tripathi, Additional Project Director, Samagra Shiksha, Uttar Pradesh; Shri Deepak Rai, State Assistant Director – OSEPA, Odisha; Shri Manoj Padhi, Director SCERT, Odisha and Shri Rahul Rekhawar, Director, SCERT, Maharashtra.

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