Education must go beyond academics, L-G Sinha tells teachers

Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Thursday inaugurated a new building of Swami Pranavanand Vidyamandir in Panjgrain, Nagrota.

The school is run by Bharat Sevashram Sangha, a socio-cultural and charitable organisation. The institution has been providing education from pre-primary to Class 8 since 2014 under the “Har Ghar Shiksha” initiative, with more than half of its students coming from economically weaker sections.

The Lieutenant Governor said the new higher secondary infrastructure and skill facilities would ensure access to quality education for disadvantaged students.

“Once all floors of the building are completed, it will serve more than 1,500 students and transform thousands of lives. With proposed residential facilities for 100 boys, the local economy will also receive a boost, backward areas will develop, and society will progress with renewed confidence,” he said.

He urged students and teachers to contribute to nation-building and adapt to the evolving global landscape, positioning India as a leading knowledge economy.

“We must strengthen cultural awareness among students, as unity in diversity defines global society. Communication skills must also be promoted to enable the new generation to express ideas clearly, improve lives, uphold democratic values and foster collaboration,” he said.

The Lieutenant Governor also emphasised that students skilled in art, craft, music or entrepreneurship deserve equal recognition and opportunities.

“Education focused solely on marks and narrow academics, while sidelining arts, sports, and skills, is not suited for the future. We must prepare students for uniquely human abilities such as creativity, critical thinking, moral decision-making, collaboration, and lifelong learning—skills that no machine can replace,” he added.

He said the world is changing rapidly and, unlike the stable careers in the past, the professional workforce requires continuous learning, skilling and upskilling.

“We are at a threshold where AI and automation are transforming industries, offices, hospitals, and schools, and our human resources need to be a step ahead,” he said.

The Lieutenant Governor also highlighted the recommendations of the National Education Policy (NEP) and emphasised that the policy is a potent tool to meet national needs, boost societal capacity, and accelerate economic growth.