September 25
Shimla: The Himachal Pradesh government, in collaboration with UNESCO, is implementing the HP FUTURES (Foundation for Upskilling, Teacher Excellence, Understanding, Readiness, Equity and Sustainability) programme to strengthen skills-based education in schools.
Samagra Shiksha is leading the ground-level implementation of the initiative, with a focus on integrating Competency-Based Education (CBE) into everyday classroom teaching. A three-day workshop was recently organised in Shimla, bringing together 18 teachers from Shimla, Solan, Sirmaur, Kinnaur, Bilaspur and Hamirpur districts.
Professor Esther Care from the University of Melbourne and Helen from the US participated as key resource persons and shared practical approaches to developing students’ skills through classroom activities.
Focus on critical thinking, collaboration and problem-solving
The workshop focused on helping teachers integrate competency-based learning into regular teaching and learning practices. Teachers explored ways to develop critical thinking, communication, collaboration, creativity and problem-solving skills through structured classroom activities.
They also worked on modifying lesson plans and classroom activities to give students more opportunities to discuss ideas, solve problems, express themselves, collaborate and apply their learning in practical situations.
The implementation of these approaches is also being observed in participating schools to assess how effectively the training is translating into classroom practice.
Teachers report changes in classroom learning
Teachers said the workshop had helped them plan lessons with greater focus on the specific competencies they want students to develop. They also reported increased confidence in using activity-based approaches to make learning more engaging and relevant for students.
Professor Esther Care said teachers were increasingly providing students with opportunities to participate actively in classrooms. Greater attention was also being given to how students learn and how teaching strategies can be adapted based on their learning needs.
An earlier workshop was held in August, while a third workshop is scheduled for November. From December, similar training will be extended to teachers from selected schools in the remaining six districts of the state.
The lessons and experiences gained through the pilot phase will help inform the wider rollout of the model across Himachal Pradesh.
HP FUTURES to promote CBE, green education and values
The Himachal Pradesh government has signed an MoU with UNESCO for the HP FUTURES programme. Under the initiative, schools are promoting Competency-Based Education to develop students’ critical thinking, creativity, collaboration and communication skills.
The programme also focuses on Greening Education to promote environmental protection and sustainable development. In addition, value education through sports is being encouraged as part of the broader effort to support the holistic development of students.
