Soon, advanced vocational training in HS schools

Kolkata: The Bengal government has decided to impart advanced vocational training in higher secondary (HS) schools for skill development, Purnendu Bose, minister for Technical Education said.

The minister said training in vocational education was important to creating employment opportunities.

At present, nearly 2,700 HS schools had been selected for imparting courses in vocational training, he said while speaking at the Bengal National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BNCCI) seminar here on Tuesday.

He said that out of the 2,700 schools, 700 of them had been selected for providing courses on advanced vocational training. "We have, at present, more than 2700 higher secondary schools in the state where vocational training on skill development is being provided to students. We have already identified 500 schools for providing advanced training. The process of identifying the remaining 200 is going on in full swing. We hope that by January 2018 the advanced training will commence," Bose said.

The minister reiterated that vocational education is crucial for creating employment opportunities. The advanced courses in the schools would be introduced in a phased manner. "The advanced training will be of international quality and if a student gets more than 50 percent marks and completes the training module, he will get the chance to study directly in the second year of polytechnic college, provided he cracks the entrance examination.

It may be mentioned that students in these advanced training courses will be given the option of two subjects from which they have to choose one. Presently, vocational training in skill development is offered in as many as six subjects in the higher secondary schools that include retail, security, automobile, IT, health and wellness and agriculture.

The minister expressed his keenness for collaborating with institutions like National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) and Chambers of Commerce for Skill Development Training.