Schools to become centres of excellence: L-G

Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, Manoj Sinha, emphasised his commitment to transforming schools in the Union Territory into centres of excellence. Speaking at the 18th annual function of Mahavir International School at the General Zorawar Singh Auditorium, University of Jammu, the LG outlined his vision for a dynamic and innovative educational environment in the region.

“In J&K, capacity building and developing schools as centres of excellence have been my objectives. We have created a competitive and dynamic learning environment to harness the innovative ideas of our students,” he stated.

Highlighting the need for a knowledge revolution to propel India into a developed nation and sustain multi-sectoral growth, the L-G underscored the importance of empowering educators and students alike. “Unless teachers are empowered, students will not be empowered. And unless students are empowered, the nation cannot become strong,” he asserted.

The L-G emphasised the significance of shifting learning beyond test-centric approaches, promoting understanding and moral values to prepare the younger generation for practical life challenges. He advocated for a productive teaching-learning ecosystem, where teachers are free to share experiences and wisdom beyond the curriculum.

Discussing reforms in the education sector, Sinha credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s guidance for fostering an educational revolution across India. He also addressed the role of Artificial Intelligence in modern classrooms, stressing its role as a supportive tool rather than a substitute for teachers. “Artificial Intelligence-supported classrooms, not Artificial Intelligence-led classrooms, should be our future strategy,” he remarked.

During the event, the L-G felicitated students excelling in academics and extracurricular fields and unveiled a poster of a bhajan video, Garud Vahini Vaishnavi, created by the school’s students. The programme also featured captivating performances addressing social issues, with participants taking a pledge to ‘Stop Food Wastage.’

Several distinguished personalities were felicitated for their contributions, including Padma Shri awardees Prof Vishwamurti Shastri, Dr SP Varma, Mohan Singh, and Romalo Ram, along with Dr Shakti Kumar Gupta, Executive Director & CEO, AIIMS Jammu.