SRINAGAR: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Thursday said that empowering teachers is key to building confident students and a stronger society, asserting that education should go beyond academic achievement to focus on life skills, character building and social transformation.
Addressing a One-Day Capacity Building Programme organised by the Bharti Airtel Foundation, the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT), J&K, and the School Education Department, the Lieutenant Governor said the initiative reflects a collective commitment to strengthening teachers and improving the quality of school education across Jammu and Kashmir.
The programme also marked the launch of instructional resources jointly developed by the three organisations to enhance teachers’ professional capabilities.
“When teachers are empowered, students gain confidence. When schools are strengthened, society becomes more resilient, and when education moves in the right direction, Jammu and Kashmir and the nation advance towards a brighter, safer and more prosperous future,” Sinha said.
He stressed that the true purpose of education is transformation rather than examination results.
“The greatest power of education lies not in exam results but in its ability to change lives. A dedicated teacher shapes destinies. Schools in Jammu and Kashmir should become laboratories of life-building where learning connects with real-life experiences,” he said.
Linking the programme with the government’s ‘Drug-Free Jammu & Kashmir’ campaign, Sinha said schools have an increasingly important role in addressing challenges such as drug abuse, mental stress, peer pressure, digital risks and changing lifestyles.
He said teachers should be equipped with modern teaching tools and life-skills training to help students develop self-awareness, emotional resilience, creativity, critical thinking and problem-solving abilities.
“Education today cannot be restricted to measurable academic achievement alone. Schools must prepare children to face real-life challenges with confidence while respecting every student’s individuality,” he said.
The Lieutenant Governor said the National Education Policy (NEP) aims to nurture creative, responsible, compassionate and self-reliant citizens. He also lauded the Directorate of School Education, Jammu, for launching online classes for Classes XI and XII across ten districts, describing it as a significant step towards ensuring equitable access to quality education, particularly for students in remote areas.
He said the success of such initiatives would ultimately be reflected in the confidence of students and their contribution to building a self-reliant Jammu and Kashmir.
During the programme, the Lieutenant Governor felicitated meritorious students and winners of the Tobacco-Free Educational Institution (TOFEI) initiative. Several books on life skills were also released.
Among those present were Rakesh Bharti Mittal, Co-Chairman of the Bharti Airtel Foundation; Ram Niwas Sharma, Commissioner Secretary, School Education Department; Ramesh Kumar, Divisional Commissioner, Jammu; Nuriya Ansari, CEO, Bharti Airtel Foundation; Dr Naseem Javaid Chowdhary, Director School Education Jammu, along with senior officials, teachers, students and representatives of educational institutions.
