Skill-based vocational training at government schools

Under this initiative rolled out by the Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyhan (RMSA), students from Class 9 and 10 would be offered vocational education to acquire skills related to agriculture, food processing, retail and retail marketing, automobile, healthcare, and beauty and wellness. Stating that the scheme would enable students to learn it along with regular academic activities, Sengottaiyan said the aim was to cater to students who were interested. It would be offered only to the interested students, the minister said, while addressing over 100 headmasters and headmistresses from all the districts. 

“This pilot project will be introduced in government schools located close to the industries – at one school in each of the 67 educational districts. The training will be based on the needs of the region and the district,” said Rameswara Murugan, state project director, RMSA. He added this scheme would enhance employability of the students and provide them exposure through visits to the industries. 

The free training will be implemented in collaboration with Lend A Hand India. “Labs will be set up in each of the centres, and classes will be supported by the industries. For instance, a workshop will be set up where the automobile training is provided. This apart, necessary provision will be given to students who complete the training to find employment on the basis of this training,” explained Raj Gilda, co-founder of Lend A Hand India. 

The skills acquired by the students will be assessed and certified by the Tamil Nadu Board of Secondary Education and the National Skill Development Corporation. Teachers working in the selected schools will be given special training under the scheme. 

Around 2,000 students selected from all the NEET coaching centres would be given an opportunity to visit a medical college, said school education minister Sengottaiyan. Once the board exams are over, the promising student would stay in the premises itself till NEET exam, with their boarding and other expenses taken care of by the state.