Co-ops to market products made by VHSE students

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A recent expo held in the city organised by the students of Vocational Higher Secondary had taken the Education officials by surprise. Various items made by them like the file boards, notebooks and jewellery had a professional touch. It has now opened the doors to the possibility of cooperative societies which could market the products made by the VHSE students.  To pilot the effort, the Education Department has decided to open production-cum-marketing societies in three schools in the capital. Though there are production centres in majority of VHSE schools, they have remained namesake for many years now. The new centres, however, would experiment with the possibility of the entrepreneurship capacity of students in VHSE schools by giving them a chance to manufacture products and then finding a suitable market for selling them.  The pilot will be kick-started at Jagathy School for the Hearing Impaired for which the Government has already sanctioned ` one lakh. Printing technology, clothing and embroidery courses will be piloted here. ‘’In a few months, it will be extended to Manacaud VHSE and Vattiyoorkavu VHSE. The basic aim is to develop the skill in the students as skill development has assumed greater significance in the 12th Five Year Plan,’’ said Education Minister P K Abdu Rabb. The Minister was announcing the pilot project at the distribution ceremony of certificates and employment offer letters to VHSE students who got placement in various establishments after completing a two-month course offered by the finishing school joint programme of KITTS and VHSE.  According to VHSE Director M Abdul Rahiman, the existing production centres are lying idle with neither the teachers nor students taking to the idea. However, there are a large number of efficient and capable students who brilliantly make items like notebooks or pickles. ‘’The societies will collect the products made by the students and find a suitable market for them. Even if the government departments decide to buy books or file clips from them, it would turn profitable,’’ he says.  In the coming days, the Department plans to conduct an awareness on the pilot project among the students and teachers.