Centre’s skill-based education programme gets ‘good response’ in Goa

The number of students in Goa’s schools, who enrolled themselves for the National Skill Qualification Framework (NSQF), a central government programme aimed at providing skill-based education and vocational training, has more than tripled in five years, an official said.

A total of 2,068 students were enrolled for the NSQF in the 2014-15 academic year when the scheme was introduced.

But in 2019-20, the number rose to 6,985, the official said.

Goa Education Department’s Deputy Director Shambhu Ghadi, who is in-charge of the NSQF initiative, said that the enrolment of students under this programme has been increasing with every academic year in Goa.

“These courses were first implemented in government high schools, most of which are in rural parts of the state.

The response received there motivated schools from other parts to introduce these courses,” he said.

The NSQF is operational in 79 government schools, 12 aided high schools, nine government higher secondary schools and 23 aided ones.

“Goa is the only state to have introduced NSQF in government-aided schools. The programme is implemented through Goa Samagra Shiksha, an initiative of the education department and is not outsourced to any agency like in some other states,” he said.

The courses offered are skill-based and job-oriented.

The students get training in automobile, healthcare, IT/ITeS, agriculture, tourism and hospitality, beauty and wellness, construction, electronics and hardware, apparel, media and entertainment, telecom and plumbing, among others, he said.

“The objective is to equip the students with the necessary vocational skills to enable them to get employment or go for self-employment,” the official said.