Kovida Ltd. began extensively researching and studying skill development programs across the world to understand the nuances of skilling India’s young population.
About Kovida
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ABOUT Kovida
Kovida Ltd, Hyderabad, is a young and pioneering knowledge, training, research and publication company with focus on early childhood education, school education and skill development.
From 2004 onwards,the company has invested in action research for developing skills among secondary school students of Lotus National Schools (LNS) in the states of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. Kovida Ltd, has developed various field tested products to improve relevance and productivity of education and skills. Kovida’s programs are designed to meet India’s education system requirements and aligned to national goals of creating a skilled and productive workforce.
SKILL DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVES
KOVIDA LTD. INITIATIVES
Early Childhood Care and Education Policy 2013
The ECCE policy lays the foundation for a sound and strong school education system in India. From 2009 onwards, Kovida Ltd. has worked extensively on training Anganwadi workers on ECCE and developed thematic contextual words for vocabulary building. After 5 years of training and research, Kovida Ltd. has finalized a report on School Readiness and Preparation for Right Start to School. This intervention will serve as an enabler to improve primary schooling outcomes and budgets applied at later stage.
Structural and procedural examination reforms: Continuous and Comprehensive Evaluation (CCE) introduced in 2009
Kovida Ltd. initiated Action Research on CCE and Best Teaching and Learning Practices in Lotus National Schools in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana State For strengthening the implementation of CCE reforms, Kovida Ltd. introduced two programs: Student Learning Portfolio (SLP) for developing individual skills and School Experience for Development of Skill Sets (SEDSS) for developing group / team skills. Both these skills are crucial for success in today’s globalized workplace.
National Skills Qualification Framework (NSQF) Policy 2013
The NSQF policy aims to develop sector oriented skills among Indian youth to reap the benefits of India’s demographic dividend.
Kovida Ltd. published a title ‘National Skills Qualification Framework in India: Policy, Processes and Platforms for Program Delivery’ in March 2015. The Publication was launched by Shri Rajiv Pratap Rudy ji, Hon’ble Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Govt. of India
Kovida Ltd has piloted Indian Certificate of Applied Learning (ICAL) for College and Career Readiness and Preparation into secondary schools (classes IX and X). Students are oriented to 21 priority sectors to enable efficient streaming into higher education/ workplace.
College and Career Readiness and Preparation will help students to stream either into college track or career track based on their interest, aptitude and ability. It will also create awareness among secondary school students about various job pathways and will help them to make informed choices in their career or higher education.
Programs at Lotus National Schools
Professional Enhancement Program
In-service training for teachers and Heads of Institutions of Lotus National Schools on various academic and administrative areas: Activity Based Teaching, Project Based Learning, Assessment, Higher Order Thinking Skills, Problem Solving, Communication skills, LSRW, Speed Reading, Listening Skills, Functional Areas of School Administration etc
School Experience for Development of Skill Sets (SEDSS)
SEDSS is a structured academic program designed for development of competencies and skills through ‘hands-on’ experience All activities under SEDSS aims to inculcate the values of group learning and team work.
Student Learning Portfolio (SLP)
All students maintain a record of their special assignments done during an academic year in all the subjects in SLP. All activities under SLP encourage self learning and individual work.
Vocabulary Building Blocks (VBB)
VBB is an innovative method of building vocabulary of students through Contextual Method to improve the communication skills of learners. List of more than 1800+ words for pre-primary and 8000+ words for classes I-VIII have been created subject and context wise to equip learners with skills to develop adequate vocabulary
Applied Learning Activities
Applied Learning is an approach that emphasizes the relevance of what is being learnt in the school to the ‘real world’. Applied learning focuses on applying the knowledge and skills needed to solve a problem, implement a project or participate in the workplace. Activities to develop sectoral skills have been identified and implemented from classes I -X
Core Skills
Core skills are the skills that equip learners with basic practical skills required in everyday life, learning and work place. These skills are most needed in any work environment. Four strands of Core skills have been identified by Kovida. Ltd. They are Literacy Language and Communication Skills, Thinking Skills, Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) and ICT Skills
Subject Domain Skills
The relevance of subject content to a workplace is established by linking each subject to different sectors. Students undertake various activities to understand the importance of subjects in different workplaces.
Conferences, Seminars, Training Programs
Signed an MoU with Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, Hyderabad (JNTU) for in-service teacher training programs
Signed MoU with Chisholm Institute of Technical and Further Education (TAFE), Victoria, Australia for delivery of skill courses in India
Conducted a workshop on Vocabulary Building Blocks through Contextual Learning for students of APSWREIS School and Junior College for Girls, Mahindra Hills, hyderabad
Conducted School Management and Leadership Training Programs for 218 Principals of Andhra Pradesh Social Welfare Residential Educational Institutions Society (APSWREIS) in 2012
Conducted a Round Table Conclave for private school and higher education providers to discuss and deliberate on the New Education Policy in December 2015
Organized a Conference and Gallery Walk on College and Career Readiness and Preparation for students of Classes 9-10 in January 2016. More than 500 students from private and government schools participated in the conference
Publications in the pipeline
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Institution Building – Governance – Leadership – Management
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School Management and Leadership Skills
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FA I: School Academic Leadership (SAL)
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FA II: School Operations and Management (SOM)
Mobilizing School Services (MSS)
This publication includes a number of school services that are crucial for school functioning.-
FA III: Human Resource Development
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FA IV: School Finance, Accounts and Audit
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FA V: School Community Relations and Marketing
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FA VI: School Communications and Document Management
School Asset Management
Schools increasingly have to manage large asset bases as there is a huge growth in the size and complexity of school asset portfolios. This includes both fixed and movable assets.-
FA VII: School Infrastructure Development / Hostel Management
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FA VIII: School Transport Management
VOCABULARY BUILDING BLOCKS (VBB)
English is a global link language. It is necessary to equip students and faculty with English language vocabulary to facilitate proficiency in communication skills.
VBB is an innovative program introduced by Kovida in Lotus National Schools that facilitates acquisition of new words from various sources. More than 8000 words from all subjects for classes I-VIII and 1400 words for pre-primary level have been collected as a graded list. Students are encouraged to list out words pertaining to a context, which are then shared with the entire class. This enlarges their vocabulary, improves thinking skills, creativity and communication skills.
All the words are graded at two categories –
Class levels – to facilitate progressive learning
Contexts – from familiar to less familiar
Each class and context has three levels:
Starters: Basic words – very active vocabulary
Joggers: Words to be learnt – active vocabulary
Sprinters: Advanced level – not commonly used
Teachers and students of the six LNS campuses and AP Social Welfare Residential Educational Institution at Mahindra Hills, Secunderabad were introduced to and trained in the contextual method of developing vocabulary through VBB.

SCHOOL EXPERIENCE FOR DEVELOPMENT OF SKILL SETS (SEDSS)
In 2004, Kovida Ltd. introduced School Experience for Development of Skill Sets (SEDSS) program at LNS. SEDSS is a comprehensive skill development program for integration of subjects to develop core skills, subject domain skills and workplace competencies among students of Classes I-X. The focus of the program was to develop team skills / group work among students.
SCHOOL-TO-CAREER (STC)
School-to-Career (StC) program was introduced in Lotus National Schools in 2007 with the aim of guiding and nurturing students toward career planning. Students are provided exposure to various career pathways and professions. Kovida Ltd organized a program on School-to-Career and Student Learning Portfolio at Ravindra Bharati, Hyderabad on March 5, 2010.
STUDENT LEARNING PORTFOLIO (SLP)
Student Learning Portfolio (SLP) was introduced in 2007 to develop individual work skills among students. SLP is a compilation of the work produced by students individually.