India & Singapore agree to create opportunities for lifelong learning

Union Education Minister Shri Dharmendra Pradhan is on a three-day visit to Singapore to strengthen existing ties and to explore the possibility for widening the scope of bilateral engagement in education and skill development. Shri Pradhan met various key Ministers of Singaporean Government and visited Spectra Secondary School .

During the visit, Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, Minister of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship of India, had a productive meeting with Singapore’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, H.E. Mr. Lawrence Wong. The focus of the meeting was on strengthening the existing cooperation between India and Singapore, particularly in the area of skill development. The two leaders agreed to collaborate in creating opportunities for lifelong learning, developing a future-ready workforce, and making knowledge and skill development a key aspect of the strategic partnership between the two countries.

Shri Pradhan highlighted the Indian government’s efforts in the field of education, particularly the launch of the National Education Policy (NEP) in 2020. The NEP emphasizes providing early exposure to vocational education in middle schools, ensuring the market relevance of training, and building the capacity of institutions to offer technical and vocational education. He also mentioned the government’s work in integrating skills qualifications frameworks with higher education qualification frameworks and investing in short-term and long-term training programs to provide skilling, re-skilling, and upskilling opportunities. Shri Pradhan expressed the desire to learn from Singapore’s best practices, collaborate, and customize them to meet Indian needs.

Additionally, Shri Pradhan had an insightful discussion with Singapore’s Minister of Trade and Industry, H.E. Mr. Gan Kim Yong. They explored ways to strengthen skill development and vocational training linkages, aiming to create a seamless architecture for skilling and lifelong learning. They also discussed leveraging Singapore’s expertise and knowledge to address common challenges and transform India’s skills ecosystem, building on the outcomes of the G20 Future of Work workshop held in Bhubaneswar. Later in the day, Shri Pradhan visited Spectra Secondary School, where he interacted with students and teachers to understand the teaching-learning environment and pedagogy. He was pleased to learn that the school prioritizes skills-based education and focuses on encouraging personalized learning to prepare students for future workplaces.