Jammu, Apr 23 : Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Wednesday inaugurated a new school building of Swami Pranavanand Vidyamandir in Panjgrain, Nagrota, and struck a sharp note on reforming education, asserting that a system focused solely on marks while sidelining arts and sports is “unfit for the future.”
Addressing students and teachers after the inauguration, Sinha called upon them to contribute to nation-building and adapt classrooms to the changing global landscape to position India as the world’s leading knowledge economy.
“We must strengthen cultural awareness in students, as unity in diversity defines global society. Promote communication skills for clear expression, enabling the new generation to improve lives, uphold democratic values, and foster collaboration for a prosperous J&K,” the Lt Governor said.
Observing that every student talented in art, craft, music, or entrepreneurship deserves equal respect and opportunity, Sinha said teachers must recognise that narrow academics will not suffice.
“Teachers must recognise that education focused solely on marks and narrow academics, sidelining art, sports, and skills, is unfit for the future. We must prepare students for irreplaceable human capacities like creativity, critical thinking, moral decision-making, collaboration, and lifelong learning which no machine can replace,” he said.
The Lt Governor emphasised that the world is changing rapidly, and unlike the stable careers of the past, the professional workforce today requires continuous learning, skilling, and upskilling.
“We are at a threshold where AI and automation is transforming industries, offices, hospitals, and schools and our human resource needs to be a step ahead,” he added.
The new higher secondary building and skill infrastructure, he said, will ensure disadvantaged students get quality education. The school, run by Bharat Sevashram Sangha, started pre-primary to Class 8 education in 2014 under ‘Har Ghar Shiksha’.
“Once all the floors of the building are complete, it will serve more than 1,500 students and transform thousands of lives. With future residential facilities for 100 boys, the local economy will get a boost,” Sinha said.
He also highlighted the National Education Policy (NEP) as a potent tool to meet national needs and accelerate economic growth. “India will emerge as a robust knowledge economy, nurturing generations with scientific temper, moral strength, cultural values, skills, and a spirit of service and sacrifice,” he said.
MP Jugal Kishore Sharma, MLA Devyani Rana, former Deputy CM Dr Nirmal Singh, and senior officials of Indian Oil and Hindustan Petroleum were present on the occasion. The initiative is supported by the two oil PSUs and other donors. (KNS)
