Jammu, March 31 The Jammu and Kashmir government is making concerted efforts to strengthen the educational ecosystem, with a particular focus on ensuring all necessary facilities in schools run by the government, Education Minister Sakeena Itoo said on Tuesday.
Responding to a question from Legislator Khursheed Ahmad Sheikh in the Assembly regarding the introduction of new subjects, she said that the existing curriculum is aligned with the National Education Policy, particularly in terms of digital literacy, multidisciplinary learning, and vocational education.
Itoo said that components relating to general studies, computer education, digital literacy, and vocational skill-based education have been introduced at different levels of schooling in a phased manner, depending on the level of the institution, availability of infrastructure, trained manpower, and other requisite facilities.
Computer Science, Information Practices, and IT have already been introduced as separate subjects at the Higher Secondary School level (11 to 12). In addition, vocational or skill-based education in 15 different trades has also been implemented in High and Higher Secondary schools, in line with the recommendations of the NEP, she said.
She also said that the introduction of Artificial Intelligence as a subject or discipline is also under active consideration in the department, in line with the NEP.
The integration of 21st-century skills, as articulated in the National Curriculum Framework for School Education 2023, and envisioned in the NEP, is already being implemented in a phased manner. The revised curriculum framework emphasizes critical thinking, creativity, communication, collaboration, digital literacy, problem-solving, and experiential learning, the minister said.
She said that these competencies are being systematically embedded across subjects through curriculum rationalization, revised pedagogical approaches, competency-based assessments, and the integration of skill-oriented modules at the Secondary and Senior Secondary levels.
The NEP advocates an integrated and holistic approach to curriculum design, and accordingly, domains like Digital Literacy and Skill Education are embedded within the curriculum from the Foundational Stage onwards, Itoo said.
She said that teachers are being oriented and trained to effectively integrate these competencies into classroom practices, thereby ensuring the acquisition of relevant skills and learning outcomes in a holistic manner.
At the Secondary and Senior Secondary levels, the minister said that Digital Literacy and Skill Education are also being offered as dedicated elective subjects within the curriculum, in addition to their cross-curricular integration.