Education reforms, international partnerships and student exposure initiatives highlighted
Shimla 17 August
Principals of PM SHRI schools and Samagra Shiksha coordinators felicitated State Project Director of Samagra Shiksha Rajesh Sharma at the Samagra Shiksha Directorate on Monday, appreciating his leadership in education reforms and initiatives undertaken in Himachal Pradesh over the past three years.
The principals said several initiatives taken under the guidance of the state government and Sharma’s leadership had contributed to positive changes in school education across the state.
Among those present were PM SHRI School Kupvi principal Dinesh Steta, Tutu principal Dr Rashima Rana, Kandaghat principal Rattan Verma, Theog principal Ramswaroop, Chopal principal Hari Sharma, Portmore CHT Lokendra Negi and PM SHRI district coordinator Rekha, along with Samagra Shiksha coordinators.
Teacher training, international partnerships
The principals highlighted initiatives aimed at strengthening the professional development of government-school teachers. Teachers from the state were sent on international educational exposure visits to Singapore, while a partnership was also established with the Principals Academy, Singapore, for teacher training.
Under Samagra Shiksha, 33,301 school teachers have received training in collaboration with the University of Cambridge, aimed at introducing modern teaching methodologies and contemporary educational practices in classrooms.
A partnership with UNESCO under the HP FUTURES programme is also supporting competency-based education, value education through games and greening education, with a focus on developing 21st-century skills among students.
An initiative for training school heads and teachers through IIM Sirmaur has also been launched to strengthen school leadership.
The principals further said 199 schools in Himachal Pradesh had been developed as PM SHRI schools, equipped with modern infrastructure, smart classrooms, science and ICT laboratories and Atal Tinkering Labs.
International exposure for government-school students
The initiative to provide meritorious government-school students with educational exposure trips to Singapore and Cambodia was also highlighted as a significant achievement. The principals described the initiative as a unique effort to provide international exposure to students of government schools.
They also appreciated efforts to secure and effectively utilise funds received under Samagra Shiksha. The principals said Sharma had played an important role in mobilising additional resources for education in the state and ensuring their timely and effective utilisation.
The impact of these initiatives, they said, was reflected in various national assessments. Himachal Pradesh improved from 21st position to among the top five states in the PARAKH survey, while its ranking in the Performance Grading Index (PGI) improved from 21st to sixth position. The state also featured among the leading states in the ASER 2024 report.
Collective effort behind reforms
Rajesh Sharma expressed gratitude to Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, Education Minister Rohit Thakur, Education Secretary Rakesh Kanwar, officials of the Education Department and Samagra Shiksha, coordinators, school principals and teachers for their support.
He said several important initiatives had been undertaken under Samagra Shiksha in accordance with government directions and with the collective support of stakeholders. The positive impact of these reforms was now visible at the grassroots level, he added.
Sharma said efforts to strengthen school education were the result of collective participation and had helped give Himachal Pradesh’s education system a new direction and momentum.
