Gandhinagar, Oct 24 (IANS) Scotland’s First Minister John Swinney visited the Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad and held discussions with Gujarat government officials and teachers on educational reforms, teacher training and future cooperation between the two regions during his visit on Saturday.
At the ashram, Swinney paid tribute to Mahatma Gandhi by offering floral tributes and a skein of cotton yarn to his statue and portrait.
He also visited Hriday Kunj, Gandhi’s former residence, where he observed the process of spinning yarn on a charkha and operated the spinning wheel himself to understand the process.
Swinney expressed deep respect for Gandhi’s simple lifestyle, his message of self-reliance and the values of truth and non-violence.
During the visit, he presented the ashram with copies of letters written by Gandhi to a Scottish lord and preserved in the National Records of Scotland.
The ashram, in turn, presented him with a copy of a letter written to Gandhi by Lord Lothian.
Writing in the ashram’s visitors’ book, Swinney said: “It is a great privilege for me to visit this important centre, which presents Gandhi’s life, writings and contribution to humanity to the world. I am extremely pleased and proud to share with this Ashram copies of Mahatma Gandhi’s letters preserved at the National Records of Scotland.”
Swinney and his 11-member delegation also visited the prayer ground, Vinoba Kutir, Mira Kutir, the archives and the exhibition showcasing Gandhi’s life and ideas.
Earlier, Swinney and a high-level Scottish delegation held a meeting with state Education Department officials and teachers to discuss the education systems of Gujarat and Scotland, educational reforms and opportunities for collaboration.
The delegation was briefed on the state’s use of technology and data-driven systems to improve education.
Scottish representatives appreciated the functioning of the Vidya Samiksha Kendra (VSK), which facilitates real-time monitoring and data-driven decision-making in the state’s education system.
The delegation also appreciated the state’s ‘Shala Praveshotsav’ and ‘Continue to School’ campaigns, which have been running for more than two decades to reduce school dropout rates and support children’s overall development.
Experiences from the Glasgow-Gujarat Teacher Mobility Exchange Programme, organised with the support of the British Council, were shared during the meeting.
Teachers from both sides discussed their educational practices and experiences of cultural exchange.
Swinney highlighted Scotland’s education system, including schools and tertiary education, and emphasised students’ overall development and inclusive education.
The discussions explored opportunities for Gujarat and Scotland to work together to improve educational quality, strengthen continuous professional development (CPD) for teachers and collaborate in research.
–IANS
mys/dan
