NIOS : The Way Forward - The National Institute of Open Schooling

NIOS: The Way Forward / 47
Since knowledge is a major resource, the prevalent pattern of a very passive
way of acquiring and retaining information and data must give way to a more
learner-active approach, so as to provide much more scope for personal
involvement, questioning and discovery. This will make knowledge become a
personal and personalized possession and will give meaning to one’s life. A
multi-mode learning package that the ODL offers will provide answers to the
learning status of the students, and point to directions for both the formal and
open systems to follow. Such knowledge can then be applied to practical life
and conditions, namely a knowledge that has plenty of scope for creative new
applications.
6.3 Life Skills: An Integral part of Modern Curriculum
Life Skills: In today’s world, mere technical competence, while necessary, is
not enough to meet the demands of a job and much less, the demands of life.
Hence, the modern curriculum must make a specific contribution to the
development of life skills or soft skills.
Life skills/ Soft Skills are essential to lead a happy life in the present democratic
society where one encounters a number of problems in different fields, whether
at work or at home or in dealing with the many conditions and situations in
society. These skills relate to the head, heart or hand or to one’s health.
These skills enable a person to live one’s life both efficiently and effectively.
Every individual is unique and has been endowed with a set of talents and
abilities. To discover and develop these is the goal of education, so that one is
able to meet the demands of life and living and is also able to contribute to the
larger dimensions of life. In the pursuit of this life goal, mere stress on
professional/ technical or subject-related or job-related skills is not sufficient.
One must also make special effort to acquire certain skills or competences to
deal with the diverse conditions obtaining in the economic, social, and
technological fields, linked to one’s life through the life skills or soft skills as
well.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) defined life skills as abilities to face the
day-to-day complex situations successfully and adjust with them efficiently. It
recognized ten life skills that are pivotal to lead a healthy and happy life, so
that all the human resources can be utilized efficiently and effectively. These
are:
• Problem-solving skills
• Critical thinking skills
• Creative thinking skills
• Decision-making skills
• Effective communication skills