The Minister for Education Naeem Akhtar today said education is fundamental to progress in other spheres and if the State wants to succeed on various fronts it has to excel in education. He said there is no deficiency of human resource in the State, but what is required is an atmosphere to unleash the energies that have been curbed, due to various reasons.The Minister said this while presiding over a function organised by Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), J&K chapter.Former Vice-Chancellor of Jammu University, Prof Amitabh Mattoo also shared his vision on education in J&K.The Minister while highlighting Prof Mattoo’s contribution to education and various other sectors appreciated his vision for the education sector in the state. There are certain problems in the education system of the state that are required to be addressed, he said and added that, however, the silver-lining is that there is immense scope for course correction.
Speaking on the occasion, Akhtar said Human Resource Development is important as it drives nation towards development. Giving reference of Japan’s re-emergence through development of its human resource after World War II, the minister said for Human Resource Development and for the growth of a knowledge society there is need to tap human energies and potentialities. He said in order to rejuvenate the State’s education system, a conscious effort is being made to explore potentialities in the students and promote creativity and inquisitiveness among them. He further said Kashmir’s identity besides other things, is also the genius of its fore-fathers who gave masterpieces through their creativity to the world and brought recognition to the place, which has been a seat of learning in the past.
Akhtar said skill development needs repackaging in line with the market demands. He said various efforts are being made to encourage such skills through introduction of vocational courses and on the job training in schools and colleges like Boutique technology etc.Earlier, Professor Amitabh Mattoo while speaking on the occasion said that it is important to introduce innovative methods and a spirit of entrepreneurship to reincarnate the education system. He said we need to instil three skills of curiosity, creativity and critical thinking in students so that they become lifelong learners, adding that we need to build innovators that will help in future. He said teaching should no longer be passive but there has to be active participation in every sense of word.Various educationists, academicians, teachers, scholars and students were present on the occasion.