Minister for Education, Naeem Akhtar has called for making academic and vocational courses relevant to market demands, so that educated youth do not have to wait for jobs. He asked the teaching community to guide students to pursue career oriented vocational courses so that students after completing their degrees do not add to the number of unemployed, but become real entrepreneurs.This was stated by the Minister today during his visit to Government College for Women, Nawakadal, to review the functioning of the educational institution. He called for strengthening the infrastructure and rejuvenating the academic process in the institute.
Stressing upon the need to tap human resource into value assets of the State, Akhtar said with changing market needs the demand for skilled manpower has increased, adding that courses to be taught in educational institutions need to be technical and divergent enough to help students develop entrepreneurial skills. He asked the college authorities to formally introduce vocational course on Papier Machie from this session and asked the concerned to immediately arrange an expert for the same on academic arrangement basis.
The Minister said that in order to develop entrepreneurial skills in the students and to provide them on the job training, a course on ‘Boutique Technology’ should be formalised and a boutique should be set up in the College. He said that a buy–back mechanism for the same could also be developed. He further said that such a set up will also help develop marketing skills and salesmanship among the students.Referring to courses under Home-Science stream, Akhtar said in order to prepare students gain hands on experience and to create a space for themselves in the market a ‘Diet Restaurant’ may also be started by the college students on similar lines. He said an arrangement with the Institute for Hotel Management (IHM), Rajbagh would also be made to provide help to students in such an initiative.
The Minister appreciated the ‘Education Outreach Programme’ initiated by the College on his instructions, to provide academic help and guidance for all those students who do not have any academic guidance at home, through after-school extra classes. He said that such an initiative should be given wider publicity so that more and more people are aware of and could take benefit from such an initiative. The Minister also asked the Principal of the College to adopt one or two schools from the vicinity, in order to provide academic guidance and handholding to them.
On the occasion, the Minister was also briefed on the repair and renovation work of damage occurred to the college infrastructure during September-2014 floods, and the status of the new academic block coming up in the college premises.Later, the Minister also visited Government Girls Higher Secondary School, Nawakadal, where he interacted with staff and students. He also took stock of infrastructural and academic facilities available at the school.
Showing concern over teachers not preparing a lesson plan, the Minister urged upon them to have their lecture notes prepared before taking their classes, “thorough preparation of a lecture will increase your confidence, improve your delivery style, and enhance the effectiveness of your preparation”, he said. He also called for conducting an academic audit of the school shortly.The Minister also asked the School authorities to promote extra-curricular activities like field visits, trekking etc. He instructed the concerned to organise a day trek for the school students.