Jammu, July 2: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Wednesday said that empowering teachers is essential to building confident students and a resilient society, as he launched a teacher capacity-building initiative aimed at improving the quality of school education across Jammu and Kashmir.
The Lieutenant Governor was addressing a one-day Capacity Building Programme organised jointly by the Bharti Airtel Foundation, the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT), J&K, and the School Education Department.
The event also marked the launch of instructional resources developed collaboratively by the three institutions to strengthen teachers’ professional capabilities.
Addressing educators and officials, Sinha said education should go beyond academic achievement and focus on shaping lives through practical learning, critical thinking and emotional development.
“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 move towards a brighter, safer and more prosperous future,” he said.
The Lieutenant Governor said the programme is aligned with the government’s “Drug-Free Jammu and Kashmir” campaign, aimed at equipping teachers to help students deal with challenges such as substance abuse, mental stress, peer pressure, digital risks and changing lifestyles.
He said schools must increasingly focus on life skills, including self-awareness, emotional balance, problem-solving, creativity and critical thinking, enabling students to face modern-day challenges with confidence.
Sinha said every child possesses unique abilities that should be identified and nurtured, urging teachers to encourage individuality rather than viewing education merely as a competitive process.
Referring to the National Education Policy 2020, he said the policy envisions creating responsible, innovative, compassionate and self-reliant citizens under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The Lieutenant Governor also appreciated the Directorate of School Education Jammu for launching online classes for students of Classes 11 and 12 across ten districts, saying the initiative would improve educational access for students in remote areas.
He said the success of such initiatives would ultimately be reflected in students’ confidence and their contribution towards building a self-reliant Jammu and Kashmir.
During the programme, Sinha felicitated meritorious students and winners of the Tobacco-Free Educational Institution (TOFEI) initiative. Several books focusing on life skills were also released.
The event was attended by senior officials, including Rakesh Bharti Mittal, Co-Chairman of Bharti Airtel Foundation, Ram Niwas Sharma, Commissioner Secretary, School Education Department, Ramesh Kumar, Divisional Commissioner Jammu, Nuriya Ansari, CEO of Bharti Airtel Foundation, Dr. Naseem Javaid Chowdhary, Director School Education Jammu, besides teachers, students and other dignitaries.
