The Ministry of Education is all set to launch soft skills and vocational education programme in schools across the country.

A total of 100 schools have been selected for the pilot phase of the programme, which aims at building the capacity of students to think critically and act practically, said a ministry official.

“Soft skill education will be incorporated into the existing cirricula from grades six to eight. New cirricula will be introduced for students studying in grades nine to twelve,” Laba Dev Awasthi, joint secretary at the ministry.

“The concept of practical education in schools was envisaged by the School Sector Reform Plan to make students competent in the era of globalisation,” added Nakul Baniya, under secretary at the education ministry.

He said that the government was currently preparing directives to launch the pilot phase of the programme.”We have formed a steering committee under the leadership of ministry secretary. The government had incorporated this programme in this year’s budget.”

The official said government bodies such as the Curriculum Development Centre, the National Centre for Education Development, the Council For Technical Education and Vocational Training and others have been doing their bit to support the programme.

Baniya said teachers and other stakeholders would be trained beforehand to conduct the programme.

source: The Himalayan Times,10 June 2012