Education key to global competitiveness: CM

Srinagar, Sep 15: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah Monday said that it is the responsibility of his government to ensure that students studying in government schools have access to the same facilities and opportunities as those in private institutions.
“I would like to see even more participation from government schools in such events. Ultimately, it is our responsibility to ensure that government school students have access to the same facilities and opportunities as those in private schools. They must be prepared to compete not only with children across India, but with children across the world,” the Chief Minister said while addressing the concluding day of Techknow-2025 organised by Delhi Public School (DPS) Srinagar.
The two-day event witnessed enthusiastic participation from several schools across the Kashmir Valley, along with teachers and faculty members. He applauded the students’ creativity, including their Humanoid Robot, and emphasized the Government’s commitment to modern learning, knowhow of AI, and innovation-driven education.
Chairman DPS Srinagar Vijay Dhar, Principal Shafaq Afshan, Vice Principal DPS Srinagar, students and staff were also present on the occasion.
Reflecting on the rapid pace of technological change, the Chief Minister said that education has evolved remarkably since his own school days. Citing the example of Albania appointing an Artificial Intelligence (AI) being as a minister, he noted how AI is reshaping the world.
“This shows us the pace at which technology is moving. Already, jobs that were once taken up by young graduates in areas such as business process outsourcing and data management are increasingly being handed over to AI systems. Even software development is now being carried out by AI tools. With the latest version of ChatGPT, even someone with no knowledge of coding can generate code. That is how transformative this technology has become,” Omar Abdullah observed.
He emphasized that education must adapt to this changing environment. While acknowledging that some schools have advanced rapidly, he stressed that others continue to lag behind and need urgent attention.
“I am heartened to see that DPS Srinagar is not only helping its own students but also supporting initiatives like Techknow-25, where even government school students have participated,” he added.
Sharing a word of advice with the students, the Chief Minister said: “Always keep asking questions. It is curiosity that drives progress, and it is questions that create the answers of tomorrow.”
On the occasion, Omar Abdullah felicitated the schools that participated in Techknow-2025. Earlier, he took a round of the DPS Srinagar premises where he visited the computer labs, Atal Tinkering Lab, Innovation Hub, Junior School, and Learning Resource Centre, among other sections of the institution.