School Leaders’ summit puts focus on skills, inclusion and AI in education

The School Leaders’ Summit, organised by The Times of India with the National Independent Schools Alliance, brought together school heads and education leaders from across India at a private hotel in Zirakpur on January 30, underlining a shared push for dynamic, inclusive and values-driven education powered by CGC, Landran.

The summit spotlighted changing school education needs, with a sharp focus on skill-based learning and the rising role of AI and technology in classrooms.The event was structured across multiple sessions and drew participation from school leaders, academic experts, and industry representatives from different parts of the country. The morning session was graced by Punjab Governor and UT Administrator, Gulab Chand Kataria, as chief guest, who addressed the gathering and highlighted the importance of value-based education alongside academic excellence. Educationists were felicitated in his presence for their contribution to the field, and the education magazine ‘Voice of Schools’ was also unveiled during the session. The formal proceedings included a welcome address by NISA president Dr. Kulbhushan Sharma, which set the tone for the discussions that followed.

“The School Leaders’ Summit is a progressive platform designed to move beyond theory toward actionable insight. Today’s session aimed at encouraging school leaders to translate policy vision into classroom practice and to promote holistic education that values ethics, empathy, and purpose alongside academic excellence,” said Dr.

Sharma.A key highlight of the summit was a panel discussion titled ‘From Rote Learning to Real Skill Assessment’, which brought together voices from school leadership and the education technology space. The discussion centred on moving beyond memory-driven evaluation systems and adopting assessment models that reflect conceptual understanding, practical application and life skills.

The afternoon session was attended by Haryana Governor, Prof.

Ashim Kumar Ghosh, as the chief guest. He addressed the delegates and spoke about the role of private schools in bringing children from marginalised sections into the mainstream. He lauded the initiative taken by The Times of India and NISA and emphasised the need for educational institutions to focus on inclusive education so that no child, regardless of background, misses out on quality learning.

He said that investing in inclusive school education is an act of nation building.The summit also featured a session by international motivational speaker and author Pawan G. Agrawal, who spoke on efficiency, teamwork and discipline, drawing parallels between logistics management and educational leadership. Several leading educationists from across the country were also honoured during the event in recognition of their service to the education sector. The summit served as a platform for dialogue, recognition and reflection, reinforcing the need for schools to evolve with changing times while remaining committed to equity, values and meaningful learning.The event was supported by IJM Star, India Didactics Association, FAbrIQ, Aasoka, First in Math, AcadAlly, EKsaq, and Gyansetu AI. Disclaimer: The above content is non-editorial, and TIL hereby disclaims any and all warranties, expressed or implied, relating to it, and does not guarantee, vouch for or necessarily endorse any of the content.