Category: Education

UNESCO and the Government of Himachal Pradesh on Saturday unveiled a transformative education roadmap marking the second year of the HP FUTURES project, as the initiative shifts from research and pilots into sustained classroom reform across all 12 districts of the state.

The roadmap was presented at the Third Steering Committee Meeting of the HP FUTURES project, accompanied by new teacher resources including competency-based learning guides, green education toolkits, and a localized Hindi edition of UNESCO’s Sport Values in Every Classroom Toolkit.

The HP FUTURES education roadmap builds on a first year in which the initiative reached more than 10,000 students, 500 teachers, and nearly 200 schools while engaging over 750 education stakeholders statewide, an official statement said.

“The HP FUTURES project is not meant to be an activity or even an annual calendar — this is actually meant to be a cultural shift in the way we know and see education in our schools,” said Shri Rakesh Kanwar, Secretary of Education, Government of Himachal Pradesh.

Himachal Pradesh has risen from 21st to 5th place in national school learning outcome rankings, even as officials acknowledge that the primary challenge has shifted from awareness to implementation. A survey of 2,527 teachers across 199 schools found that 78 percent were familiar with the National Education Policy 2020, yet translating that policy into daily classroom practice remains the central task ahead.

A review of 34 national and state policy documents confirmed that the state’s education framework is closely aligned with India’s National Education Policy 2020 and the National Curriculum Framework 2023. Two scoping missions conducted between October 2025 and February 2026 visited ten districts, gathering firsthand accounts from teachers and students.

Under a values education initiative, 200 teachers from 56 PM SHRI schools participated in workshops held in Shimla, Mandi, and Kangra. A classroom activity called “Paper Toss,” introduced in approximately 25 schools for students in Grades 3 to 5, generated early reports of improved peer interaction and social-emotional learning.

Climate education has also gained traction. In November 2025, more than 8,500 students participated in a statewide climate awareness quiz during SWACHHOTSAV 2025. Twenty-two PM SHRI schools across 11 districts joined the Climate Detective pilot programme, which guides students to investigate local environmental challenges using Traditional Ecological Knowledge. The effort draws on a broader base of more than 14,000 Eco Clubs operating across the state under the Mission LiFE initiative.

In year two, the HP FUTURES education roadmap will target six core competencies outlined in the National Curriculum Framework — critical thinking, problem-solving, communication, and digital literacy — while piloting a new teacher professional development model combining workshops, classroom mentoring, and peer-learning networks across 12 schools in 12 districts.

Curriculum, textbooks, and assessments reviewed in the first phase will be more closely aligned with competency-based learning goals, while Eco Clubs and the Value Education through Sport pillar will be expanded and connected to local ecosystems and community knowledge.

“HP FUTURES represents a holistic vision for education — anchored in competency-based learning, value education through sport, and greening education,” said Joyce Poan, Chief of Education, UNESCO Regional Office for South Asia. “What makes this initiative truly significant is how it brings global evidence, national priorities and state-level leadership into one coherent agenda for transformation.”

The HP FUTURES — Foundation for Upskilling, Teacher Excellence, Understanding, Readiness, Equity, and Sustainability — project is jointly led by the Government of Himachal Pradesh and UNESCO, with the Pratham Education Foundation serving as coordinating agency.