THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:In a novel effort to raise the quality of education in Industrial Training Institutes (ITI) in the state, the government is set to send the students abroad for industrial visits.
The programme aims to develop the human and social capital, contribute towards community development and enhance capabilities for skill development and vocational training in the state.
As the first step, 45 students from selected ITIs will be sent to Singapore in the second week of September. In a statement, Labour Department officers said students who excelled in the ‘India Skills- Kerala-2018’ competition will be sent to Singapore, where they will undergo a special training in skill development and entrepreneurship under the aegis of the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) -Singapore. The one-week training will also give impetus to the students’ personality development.
ITE Education Services (ITEES), a subsidiary of ITE, Singapore, has been offering consultancy and training services in skills development and vocational training to more than 25 countries.“Three ITEs of Singapore were formed in 1992 and the institutes have succeeded in producing talents in skill development across the globe. Hence, a week of residential training at the centres will provide a major boost to the students. Moreover, the students will be awarded certificates of ITE which are recognised across the world,” Labour Minister T P Ramakrishnan said in a statement.
Teachers will also accompany the students. In the coming years, the government will take steps to send more students to European countries, including the UK and Germany.In the past two years, the education system in ITIs in the state witnessed a revolutionary change. Efforts are on to upgrade 10 ITIs at Dhanuvachapuram, Chandanathoppu, Chengannur, Kattappana, Ettumanoor, Chalakudi, Malampuzha, Koyilandi, Kannur and Kayyur to international standards. “Not only in terms of infrastructure, the curriculum will also be upgraded to higher standards. This will further enhance the quality of academics which could yield good results,” Ramakrishnan said.