Coimbatore : Almost 40 years after implementing vocational courses in higher secondary education, the school education department will introduce vocational courses for Class IX students on pilot basis from the new academic year. The department has selected 670 government schools across the state for the project.
After the integration of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA) and Teacher Education (TE), it is the first step taken by the ministry of human resource and development under Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan to strengthen vocational education and to increase the number of entrepreneurs emerging from schools.
Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan is an overarching programme extending from pre-school to class XII, prepared to improve the effectiveness in terms of equal opportunities for schooling and equitable learning outcomes.
“A school per block with a minimum strength of 80 students are being selected for the project,” said a senior RMSA official, adding that training in as many as nine different sectors – agriculture, automotive, apparel and made ups, beauty and wellness, electronic and hardware, healthcare, tourism and hospitality and retail – will be given to the students.
During the vocational classes, hands-on training in an industrial set-up will be provided during the school hours, the official said. “At least three hours per week would be assigned for vocational classes. This move would provide an additional value to the students as they would be provided separate certificates after evaluation during the end of the academic year,” he told TOI, adding that the course will be taken forward by the students as they move on to the next class.
The state government is yet to make a decision on how many teachers will be appointed for the classes, the official said. “As far as Coimbatore revenue district is considered, a total of 23 high schools, including a corporation high school, is being selected. Two classrooms per school have been designated for vocational classes,” he said.
While agriculture course will be taught in eight schools, apparel and made ups will be taught in five, electronic and hardware in seven schools in the district.
Two government schools and a corporation school were selected to implement the project on pilot basis during the last academic year, but it was postponed, the official said.
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