The Central Government has given its nod to start vocational education in 300 more new schools in Punjab. The decision was taken considering Punjab’s excellence in education, said the State Education Minister Daljit Singh Cheema on Wednesday. “It is a matter of pride that the Government of India has given go-ahead to start vocational education in 300 more new schools of the State,” said Cheema.
He said that the State has excelled in education sector and this achievement of the State has caught the fancy of education policy maker of the Centre and they have given it’s nod to start vocational education in 300 schools. Cheema said that vocational education would be imparted to the students from ninth standard onwards from the new academic session.
The Minister, presiding over a high-level review meeting of the department, said that the State has signed a MoU with the National Skill Development Council (NSDC) under which vocational education in six different courses is already being imparted to the students in 100 schools.
He said that under this scheme, certificate which is provided by the National Human Resource Ministry has equal recognition as of ITI courses. Now from this academic session, courses would be increased from six to eight.
Cheema said that at present, students are being imparted vocational education in six different schemes — security, beauty and wellness, healthcare, information and technology, automobile and retail.
“Three new streams — agriculture, tour and travels and physical education and sports — have been included in new 300 schools,” he said.