Alok Kumar inaugurates National level workshop under Shaala Siddhi at Srinagar

SRINAGAR, September 11: Principal Secretary Education, Alok Kumar virtually inaugurated two days National level workshop under Shaala Sidhi here today.

The workshop organized by National Institute of Educational Planning and Administration (NIEPA), New Delhi in collaboration with Samagra Shiksha, J&K, is aimed at enhancing the quality of education in schools.

Project Director Samagra Shiksha, Deep Raj; Director School Education Kashmir, Tassaduq Hussain; Head, NIEPA, New Delhi, Prof. Pranati Panda; faculty from NIEPA, besides CEOs, DIET Principals, ZEOs and HoIs of various districts attended the workshop.

Addressing the inaugural session of the workshop, the Principal Secretary said that Shaala Sidhi empowers educational institutions to take charge of their own development by providing them with structured framework for self-assessment.

He reiterated that schools can systematically evaluate their performance, identify areas in need of improvement and create actionable plans to address these areas. He highlighted that this initiative facilitates data-driven decision-making at multiple levels, ranging from the school itself to district and union territory level administration.

The Principal Secretary further said that this Workshop on Shaala Sidhi marks a significant step towards the region’s commitment for improving education and ensuring every child receives a quality education. He reiterated that in tandem with Shaala Sidhi, the Jammu and Kashmir government has taken significant steps towards realizing a holistic approach to ensure equitable and high-quality education.

The Principal Secretary also said that introduction of School Complex System seeks to optimize the allocation of resources, both human and material, with the ultimate goal of enhancing student achievement.

Director School Education Kashmir, in his address said that Shaala Sidhi stands out as a comprehensive and holistic endeavour, not only to assess, but to transform schools into vibrant centres of learning. He informed that school education department is keen to bring the transformation in the education system and such workshops shall definitely help to explore the new avenues.

In his welcome address, Project Director, Samagra Shiksha eloquently briefed the participants about the context and significance of this trans-formative workshop. He highlighted that the primary objective of Shaala Sidhi initiative, an integrated web-based school evaluation system, is to comprehensively assess and enhance various aspects of school functioning.

He also briefed the participants about innovative initiatives of J&K School Education department like SAMIKSHA which aim to improve learning outcomes and inform the development of tailored training programs for educators and STEER, web-based mentorship program known as Student Teacher Engagement for Educational Re-enforcement, to elevate learning standards at the primary level, ensuring that every child receives an excellent education and every teacher can excel in their role.

During the workshop five sessions held by the Experts from NIEPA, who pitched for teaching and performance improvement in a focused and strategic manner.