Gap between education & career should be addressed effectively

With an aim to help the students learn about the remarkable unity of languages spoken in Delhi and Sikkim (paired state and UT), Mata Jai Kaur Public School (MJKPS), Ashok Vihar, conducted various activities under the ‘Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat’ initiative. English and social science subjects were also included in it to enhance the linguistic skills and promote unity in diversity.

The students of the middle wing were encouraged to learn the alphabets, new words and short sentences in the regional languages of Sikkim. Not only did they try to pen down the alphabets, but also made an effort to pronounce them. The students selected common proverbs and translated them into the regional languages in Sikkim. This helped them get an insight into the languages spoken in various regions of that state and paved the way for the students to appreciate and exchange best practices and experiences.

They marked the regional languages on the map of Sikkim. A ‘Poshak Show’ was also organised to give a glimpse of the regional costumes of the beautiful state of Sikkim. The students were dressed up in the attires worn by the people and shared the facts about the state.

These activities provided them the opportunity to learn about the cultural rituals and costumes of the partnering state and instilled in them a sense of pride, unity, harmony, sensitivity and knowledge.

In the recent years, an urgent need has been underscored and that is to bridge the gulf between education and its effective conversion into a career. The breeding ground for this breakthrough ought to be schools which can act as a rich resource for giving to the world highly skilled and educated workers that the industry all across the globe seems to demand.

It is thus about time that the schools focus on education-career equation and explore how to expand and create new training opportunities that prepare the students for quality jobs.

The curriculum ought to be repackaged to allow the students to understand their skills and strength and expand the dimension of their tangible knowledge so that it translates into a productive employment down the years.

The educationists must predominantly strive to modernise the education system so that the digital access to education can be provided effectively to the student community which is preparing to enter the world of opportunities heavily dependent on technology.

Schools must aim to facilitate a learning environment wherein the students are prepared to upskill themselves at regular intervals by providing them with exposure to training opportunities, interactions with industry experts and apprenticeship.

In order to transform the young minds into agile learners, academicians need to design programmes that assist in blurring the line between degrees and career.

The workers of the future will need to be trained in digital literacy, hands-on abilities, and critical thinking. The strong drive, persistence, and curiosity of the students can be fostered through targeted training programmes.

Short-term courses, apprenticeships, and credentialing need to be accessible to all learners. Our aim should be to provide a well-rounded education which not only teaches knowledge but also prepares the students for the world of work.

Educated but unemployable workforce is a grave problem that must be resolved urgently. The gap in the industry expectation and academic output can be narrowed by making the students adept in critical thinking so as to develop logical and analytical ability.

Focussing on non-academic skills such as personality development and public speaking can also prove to be beneficial. Internships, summer jobs and trying their hands at entrepreneurial ventures can help the students constructively by exposing them to real life situations.

It is also important to rope in educators with industry experience in various academic institutes as full-time or part-time faculties. These people are expected to have a more practical and objective outlook towards the requirements of the industry and can help in mentoring and shaping young minds.

The students should be trained to consider divergent views and conflicting interests to be able to work in a team. Besides this, active focus should be given to honing the indispensable skills of the students such as willingness to learn, sense of ownership, professionalism and creativity.

The goal of the curriculum should be to cultivate sustainable and lasting modes of thinking, methods of problem solving, and means of approaching information. It is hence time to metamorphose all learning into dynamic learning so that the youth of today is certainly career ready.

Sheena Kalenga, principal, St. Mark’s Girls Senior Secondary School, Meera Bagh. Views expressed are personal.