Revolutionising education: Skill-based learning for tomorrow’s innovators

Skillbased education was already part of the Secondary School Certificate SSC even before the New Education Policy NEP Now other boards are also embracing this unconventional education approach before Std XIThe state board offers schools the flexibility to move their focus away from conventional subjects like maths history and English Instead they can focus on personality development green energy production to tap into the market projected to rise by 400 per cent in 2040 practical application of financial literacy and various vocational skills Some of these skills include embroidery ecofriendly and bamboo productmaking soapmaking sustainable agriculture hydroponics soil testing organic farming plumbing electrical work and 3D printingOne such school that has integrated unconventional subjects is Sumati Balwan school in Pune Nitin Ghole secretary of Sumati Balwan school said ldquoThese subjects foster creative and critical thinking making graduates more capable of innovative problemsolvingrdquomidday observed a class at Sumati Balwan where students were making lsquosewairsquo while also learning about return on investment for each ingredient in the dish Additionally they calculated the percentage profit of their labour Vinod a Std IX student said ldquoIf it wasnrsquot for this course I would have not understood my value and I would have been cheated and paid less than my effort in my work liferdquo The school encourages open classrooms and students study in a tree house designed by themselves They also engage in various projects such as creating a sound amplifier from bamboo and using a 3D printer to make a magnetic glass cleanerAnjali Bowen principal of Ryan International in Mumbai said that this form of education redefines the concept of mistakes ldquoTeachers facilitate learning rather than simply teaching encouraging students to selfevaluate and take responsibility for finding the right answers on their ownrdquo she saidThe official state boardrsquos syllabus emphasises not only intellectual development but also physical emotional social and spiritual growth It acknowledges the importance of selfidentity during adolescence a critical period when teenagers start asking ldquoWho am Irdquo Khushi Chitnis a graduate of Sumati Balwan credits Sumati Balwan for teaching her how to handle stress manage conflicts and improve her concentrationStudents conduct a practical experiment at Sumati Balwan schoolChitnis proudly states that she is the first person in her family to receive an education as Sumati Balwan charges a nominal fee of only R2500 Thanks to the schoolrsquos teachings in HTML and C language she is pursuing computer engineering with confidence wellprepared for the challenges of the IT fieldPrincipal Sonali Bagade said that after graduating from the 10th standard many students end up in fields that may not be their true calling ldquoSumati Balwanrsquos curriculum equips students with valuable skills such as plumbing electrical work and construction helping them make more informed decisions when choosing higher studiesrdquo she addedldquoGirls are taught selfdefence Karate about sexual offences the difference between lsquogood touch and bad touchrsquo the making of sanitary pads and understanding menstrual healthrdquo she said ldquoWe started as an orphanage in 1999 with three children We realised that lsquotrue responsibilityrsquo and the rehabilitation of a child is undertaken through innovative education so we introduced it in our setup Working with children who have faced trauma since infancy we recognised that individuals with such backgrounds need not be pushed towards unhealthy paths and neglected by societyInstead with proper education in respectable crafts and fields they can thrive Creating a familylike atmosphere that focuses on the basic needs of a child to be heard valued and loved we now have 600 students Our journey began with 192 students in 2010 and grew to 225 students in 2014rdquo said Dr Sharayu Ghole founder of Sumati BalwanldquoWe embrace the idea that 10 incorrect answers can pave the way to one groundbreaking solution that can change the world If students are shut down after their second incorrect answer how can greatness be bornrdquo said Nitin Ghole