Minister for Education, Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari, today chaired a high-level meeting of officers to review the introduction and implementation of various skill development courses in schools, colleges and universities.Minister of State for Education, Priya Sethi, was also present in the meeting. The meeting included detailed presentations about skill development courses offered in universities, informing that while the University of Jammu has introduced several short term foreign language courses, the Cluster Universities Srinagar and Jammu have started evening school of languages and short-term courses on plantation and chocolate making respectively.The meeting was also informed that the Directorate of Lifelong Learning at the University of Kashmir offers some 30 skill development courses. The center said it aims to introduce more such courses in future.During the meeting, it was also given out that the Department of School Education has identified several new courses, including those in tourism, self-defense and security, and will introduce these soon, adding that master trainers for these courses have been identified.
The Department also informed that different vocational courses are already being taught at 132 schools across the State.On the occasion, the Minister constituted a committee to be headed by Director Technical Education to look into different aspects of introduction of various courses and submit a report within 45 day. He directed the concerned to intensify the introduction of various skill developmental courses in schools, colleges and universities across the State.Counseling of students at different stages of education was also discussed in the meeting.The meeting was attended by Principal Secretary Higher Education, Dr Asgar Hassan Samoon, Secretary School Education, Farooq Ahmed Shah, Vice Chancellor Jammu University, Vice chancellors of Cluster University Srinagar and Jammu, Department Head Education Initiative NSDC, Rekha Menon, Directors of School Education Kashmir and Jammu, Director Technical Education, Mission Director RUSA, Director Colleges, Director lifelong learning Kashmir University, Mission Directors of Udaan and Himayat, Nodal Principals and other concerned officials.