School heads engaging in hands-on healthcare practical during the session.
Kohima, November 3 (MExN): The Nagaland Board of School Education (NBSE), in collaboration with Lend A Hand India (LAHI), conducted a two-day orientation programme on skill education for heads of private schools registered with the board on November 2 and 3 at Kohima and Dimapur, respectively.
Representatives of 82 private schools, comprising 34 from Kohima and 48 from Dimapur, took part in the programme, stated an update from LAHI.
NBSE Chairperson Rangumbuing Nsarangbe, in his keynote address, said many young people remain unemployed either due to limited job opportunities or because they lack the practical skills required to access available ones.
He said academic learning and skill education must go hand in hand, and called for a shift in mindset towards recognising vocational education not as a secondary or supplementary subject but as an integral component of every student’s learning journey.
Nsarangbe said vocational education now covers over 180 government schools and about 160 private schools in the state. Noting that private schools account for nearly 70% of student enrolment in Nagaland, he encouraged school leaders to take a more proactive role in advancing skill education. He said the realisation of the board’s vision for school education would require the active participation of private schools.
In line with the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047, he said equipping young people with relevant skills, competencies and the ability to adapt to an evolving world of work was essential to achieve a “Viksit Nagaland 2047.”
Citing the need to bridge the gap between theory and practice, the chairperson referred to technically qualified professionals, such as electrical and automotive engineers, who may find it difficult to carry out certain basic practical tasks despite their qualifications. Education must equip learners to apply knowledge, troubleshoot, create and solve real-world problems, he said.
The orientation aimed to familiarise school heads with the vision and framework of skill education under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and the National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCF-SE) 2023, and to explore practical approaches for implementing skill-based learning in schools.
The programme was chaired by Chinglensana Khangembam, Officer, Lend A Hand India. Richard Asoso, Programme Lead, LAHI, gave the context-setting address, outlining the importance of moving beyond conventional academic instruction to provide experiential and hands-on learning.
The technical sessions were facilitated by Nehali Ayare, Training Lead, and Avanti Harne of LAHI. They covered the objectives, pedagogical approach and progression of skill education across Classes 6 to 10. Participants were introduced to the Kaushal Bodh framework for Classes 6-8 and Kaushal Vikas for Classes 9-10, along with discussions on integrating experiential, project-based and hands-on learning into existing academic structures.
Participants also took part in practical activities, including a maker-skills exercise involving the construction of a simple catapult, a tie-and-dye activity and a short healthcare-related task. Discussions also covered school-level implementation requirements and the role of school heads in creating an enabling environment for skill education.
Dziesevolie Tsurho, Academic Officer, NBSE, proposed the vote of thanks, acknowledging the participation of school leaders and the collaboration between NBSE and LAHI.
