Schools in Lhuentse Dzongkhag will start with a one-child seven skills policy from this academic session. The skills policy include specialising in vocational works, singing, sports and culinary skills among others. It was decided during the recent Dzongkhag Education Conference. The initiative is in line with the Royal Decree on Education Reform and Civil Service Reform.
According to the Dzongkhag education office, children are born with multi-talent and skills but schools have not specialised and recognised them. The Chief Dzongkhag Education Officer, Ugyen Pem said in this policy, the teachers and facilitators of Early Childhood Care and Development Centre will help the children in grooming seven different skills. The skills include design and pattern, production of cosmetics, composing music, singing, vocational works, sports and culinary skills.
“We are going to implement it immediately because we don’t need any external resources. The only thing is we need skills,” she added.
She also said that schools do have co-curricular activities but teachers have not given much importance to it. However, the new policy will give more attention to developing skills for each child.
“Now people might think that how would they bring the seven talents. I would say that it is not a new thing. We have not actually highlighted them. For example, we already have children looking at things. So our eyes are used to see things but there are many things. They are to see the patterns, designs and colours. So our eyes can help us to be a designer, you can be a world-class designer,” she added.
Besides the one child seven skills policy, school principals also discussed various topics on how to bring education reform in their respective schools in line with the Royal Decree. The conference also decided to soon implement the learning by doing teaching method as it was proven effective in learning.
“This year, we did action research by gathering information from the students of middle and higher secondary schools in Lhuentse. While doing the research, we found out that students learn better when they adopt the approach of learning by doing teaching method in schools,” said the Vice Principal of Autsho Central School, Nidup Wangdi.
The participants also discussed other matters like digitalisation, reforming curriculum, developing infrastructure and promoting discipline in the schools.
Sonam Tshering, Lhuentse
