The Hunar project,a skill-learning project for women belonging to minority communities,is set to expand its scope as it enters its second phase. The project,cleared by the Union Cabinet last year and launched by the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS),was first implemented in Bihar. At the NIOS 21st foundation day ceremony held here on Tuesday,the institute announced that in its second phase the Hunar project will cover 50,000 girls from Muslim community,SC,ST and other backward communities. The NIOS currently has 1.6 million learners and is expected to play a bigger role in the governments plan of achieving universal education in collaboration with the Sarva Shikha Abhiyan and Rashtrya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan,officials said. At the event,held at India Habitat Centre,the Commonwealth Open Schooling Association (COMOSA) was also inaugurated. It is established by the Commonwealth of Learning,which along with the UNESCO is promoting open schooling in India and several other developing countries. Officials said COMOSA would expand access and develop a network of resources in Commonwealth countries so that member countries can share learning resources and provide high-quality education. The chief guest at the event Anshu Vaish,Secretary,Department of School Education and Literacy,MHRD,said the NIOS has become a model for many developing countries. She added that from a small project of CBSE,the model is now playing a lead role in the field of education and open learning. She said that NIOS,the largest open schooling system in the world,should be strengthened as a research institution. Vaish also said the state-level open schools should gear up to meet the challenges of numbers and quality in the distance learning area. Dr S S Jena,NIOS chairman,announced that the on-demand examination scheme will be extended to all regional centres by January 2010.
