Hyderabad: Governor Jishnu Dev Varma called for a renaissance in school education rooted in India’s civilisational ethos and responsive to global change.

“Reimagine education the Indian way by blending knowledge with wisdom, technology with values, and innovation with compassion,” he said at the inaugural of the three-day annual conference of the Council of Boards of School Education (COBSE) on Wednesday.

The 54th edition of the conference, themed ‘Future of School Education – Opportunities and Challenges’, brought together over 70 school boards from India and abroad, including Cambridge International and the International Baccalaureate (IB).

Varma urged educators and policymakers to shape a value-driven education system that harmonises technology with timeless human principles.

“A school is not merely a place of learning; it is the cradle of our nation’s tomorrow. There is a need to decolonise and reorient education around India’s cultural foundations,” he said. “Guidance must come from the Indian value system, my root should be there; otherwise, I will be homeless,” he added.

Secretary (Education) Yogita Rana emphasised that human leadership, not policy alone, drives educational reform. She noted that meaningful change comes from teachers, administrators, and policymakers working together.

COBSE president and CISCE chairman G. Immanuel said the Council aims to transform school education through collaboration among boards, sharing innovations, and developing research-backed policies.

Presentations covered topics such as transforming systems for educational quality (by Joseph Emmanuel and Bhawna Taragi, CISCE), academic and assessment frameworks in Telangana (by Krishna Aditya S, Board of Intermediate Education), and standard setting and quality assurance in Indian schools (by Pranati Panda, NIEPA). Best practices from Cambridge International and IB on educational recognition, policy formulation, and pedagogy were also discussed.