Bengaluru, Aug 29: Odisha Government’s School & Mass Education Department and Wadhwani Foundation’s Skills Development Network (SDN) have announced a strategic partnership to make Odisha a ‘Smart State’ by introducing large-scale vocational education in secondary schools of the state. Commissioner cum Secretary of School & Mass Education Department, Ranjana Chopra exchanged the MoU with Austin Thomas, Director of SDN in the presence of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Friday during the Odisha Investor’s Meet held in Bengaluru.
This partnership is aimed at enhancing employability of students through four years of skill based training in a vocational subject thus enabling students to be job-ready after graduation from high school. It suggests of providing four years of result-oriented skill based training in a vocational subject of choice to the student from a selection of vocations offered to them. The other phase of the programme is to introduce a parallel, dedicated vocational stream Class XI onwards that offers Diploma in Vocational Education to those students who want vocational careers.
Under the agreement, while the SDN will provide effective program management (design, planning & quality), the technology platform, e‐content, and knowledge management expertise to operationalize the Program Management Unit within the Odisha state, the State Government will set up and run the program management unit.
