Guwahati, Jan 16 (IANS) Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma on Saturday said the state Cabinet has approved the introduction of Community-Integrated Skill Learning (CISL) as a structured curricular component for students from Classes VI to X, marking a significant reform in school education aimed at making learning more experiential and socially rooted.

The Chief Minister said that at present, Health and Physical Education is offered as the sixth subject for Classes VI to X, but its scope remains largely confined to textbooks and theoretical knowledge related to health and physical activities.

To make the subject more meaningful, practical and relevant to students’ lives, the Cabinet has decided to integrate CISL into the existing framework.

Under the new approach, students will be encouraged to identify and learn one or more practical skills based on their personal interests and their family or community background.

The skills may range across traditional occupations, local practices and community-based expertise, allowing students to learn directly from their immediate social environment.

Explaining the concept, CM Sangma said that if a student’s family is engaged in farming, the student may opt to learn agricultural skills directly from parents.

Similarly, skills practiced by other family members or available within the local community can be chosen.

Students will be required not only to observe but to actively learn, participate and demonstrate the selected skill as part of the assessment process.

The Chief Minister said the initiative carries multiple long-term benefits. From a skill development perspective, CISL will help students acquire practical and productive abilities that may be useful in their future personal or professional lives.

At the same time, while students will not be compelled to follow the same occupation as their parents, the approach increases the likelihood of preserving, respecting and valuing traditional family and community-based livelihoods.

CM Sangma also highlighted the social dimension of the programme, noting that since CISL will form an important part of academic evaluation, it will encourage greater interaction and collaboration between students and their families.

This, he said, will help strengthen family bonds and foster a sense of shared responsibility in the learning process.

Describing CISL as an innovative step by the Education Department, the Chief Minister said the initiative aims to bridge the gap between classroom learning and real-life skills, enhance community participation in education and create meaningful social impact by integrating education with lived experiences.

–IANS

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