Himachal Govt’s UNESCO MoU: Big Promises, But Will It Change Ground Reality in Govt Schools?

Shimla. The Himachal Pradesh government has signed a high-profile Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with UNESCO to modernize its education system and equip students with 21st-century skills.

But the real test lies beyond the MoU—it’s about fixing the deep-rooted issues in government schools first.

The agreement was signed by Education Secretary Rakesh Kanwar on behalf of the Himachal Pradesh government, and by UNESCO Director and Representative Tim Curtis and Chief of Education Program Specialist Joyce Poan on behalf of UNESCO, in the presence of Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu.

The MoU promises tools like AI, VR, coding, digital assessments, and a special focus on ‘Greening Education’, integrating climate change and sustainability in classrooms.

CM Sukhu claimed this partnership will transform government schools into smart schools even in remote villages.

Education Minister Rohit Thakur said the aim is global-standard education and future-ready skills.

But ground reality bites: no teachers, no internet, broken classrooms—AI and VR remain a distant dream in most schools. Without basic fixes, this MoU risks becoming another fancy document gathering dust.

Will UNESCO’s global expertise truly change Himachal’s classrooms? Only time will tell.

@CMOFFICEHP @hpeducationdept @UNESCO @UNESCO_India @EduMinHP @himbumail

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