Kerala to Revamp Vocational Courses to Prepare Students for Future Jobs

The Kerala government will soon constitute an expert panel to update courses offered in vocational higher secondary schools in line with changing requirements, General Education Minister N Samsudheen said. Several courses in the vocational higher secondary sector have become outdated, he said, making changes necessary to strengthen the system.

Samsudheen made the remarks after laying the foundation stone for a new building and inaugurating a Digital Square Lab at a vocational higher secondary school in Kasaragod on Monday.

He said education is undergoing major changes and that the objective of the General Education Department is to equip students to compete. According to the minister, students now have to compete not only with others in Kerala but also with people from across the world.

Samsudheen said students who work in the Gulf or elsewhere would encounter people from different parts of the world. He also noted that some employment opportunities could be online. Students, he said, need information, knowledge and practical intelligence to compete in a changing environment.

The minister did not provide details on the panel’s composition, the courses that will be revised or a specific timetable for completing the exercise. He also did not specify when the updated courses would be introduced in schools.

The government’s move comes as Kerala expands digital learning facilities in schools. A Digital Square Lab was inaugurated as part of recent initiatives to provide students with access to technology-based learning.

The state has also recently announced measures involving artificial intelligence and robotics training for high school students, while awareness programmes on cybersecurity are being planned. The government has also said an expert committee will be appointed to modernise vocational higher secondary education and align courses with emerging employment opportunities.

The proposed review will focus on bringing vocational higher secondary courses in line with changing times and employment requirements, Samsudheen said. The government has not yet announced the names of panel members or the detailed scope of the review.

The review will cover existing courses.