“If education is identical with information, the libraries are the greatest sages in the world and encyclopaedias are the Rishis” – Swami Vivekananda
Sadly, for long, education in India, mostly centred around gathering of information and rote learning of the same. The examination, for example, taken by a student at the end of Class 10 assesses how well a student remembers rather than assessing how well the student understands. Consequently, we had reports and surveys making shocking revelations about the employability of our graduates. While percentage of marks scored by a student in the board examination skyrocketed, the conceptual understanding, the critical thinking ability, problem solving skills dipped abysmally.
In view of the above, NEP, 2020 comes as a harbinger of hope. With its focus not only on ‘higher-order’ cognitive capacities, such as critical thinking and problem solving abilities but also on ‘social, ethical, and emotional capacities and dispositions’ the first Education Policy of the 21st century surely is an welcome initiative and every person, every organisation that contributed and worked towards its assimilation, deserves our appreciation. The policy effectively throws light on all the essential components that are required to be incorporated in our education system in order that our students are future ready. The stress on ‘inquiry-driven, discovery-oriented, learner-centred, discussion-based’ pedagogy will surely help us achieve higher learning outcomes. There is no denying that assessments drive pedagogy. Therefore, the NEP’s focus on more of formative than summative assessments will only help us to redefine our classroom pedagogies and influence the mindset of people in general. This will effect the much needed paradigm shift from a fixed mindset, marks oriented education system to one that promotes growth mindset.
The World Economic Forum Report published in 2016, lists sixteen skills that will be required to thrive in the innovation-driven economy that our world is heading towards at a breakneck speed. Apart from the six foundational literacies, this report which influenced the thoughts and action plans of many a school leader in the past couple of years, includes ten more skills that are believed to be required in order to survive in the world of 2030 and beyond. It is indeed heart-warming to see that NEP 2020 aims at hard wiring these skills and competencies into our education system.
The emphasis on Fundamental duties that the vision statement incorporates offers an interesting perspective. Often, it is seen that we the Indian citizens, are more conscious of our rights but oblivious to our duties. Orienting the future generation towards their duties as a national policy and chartering out a proper delivery mechanism whereby this vision will be translated into reality will surely help in shaping responsible citizens.
In the article “New Pedagogies for Deep Learning” published in July 2014, Michael Fullan and Geoff Scott speak of defining the core learning outcomes in sync with the 6 C’s of deep learning.
Elaborating the 2nd C i.e. Citizenship, Fullan & Scott outline the necessity to nurture global citizens through our education. To become a true global citizen, it is imperative that we first become citizens committed to our own country and be deep rooted in our ethos, culture, values at both the regional and national level. Awareness of our languages, our ethics, the knowledge in our Vedas are the maiden steps that need to be taken towards sculpting global citizens.
Empowered with knowledge of oneself when a student will augment the same with the knowledge of the history, culture, languages of the world, we will have true global citizens who will not only have deep understanding of the interdependence of global communities but will also be sensitive towards working as knowledge partners, the need to collaborate and conduct research to mitigate global challenges and hence contribute towards a sustainable world. It can be safely remarked that NEP 2020 is aligned to these demands of present times.
The transition to the 5+3+3+4 system is once again in line with global trends and systems. The emphasis on Continuous Professional Development of teachers with the condition of compulsory participation in 50 hours of CPD programme per year, a merit based appraisal system where performance and not seniority will decide promotions, the nuances of the Career Management and Progression, if delivered effectively, will infuse the present education system with hope and vibrancy. The elaborate 9 – pointer description of different aspects related to Early Childhood Care and Education is sure to have a positive impact.
However, the proposition that mother tongue/local language should preferably be the medium of instruction till at least grade 5 is farfetched in a diverse country like India. If in the schoolsof Guwahati, Assamese is the medium of instruction, how will a student who has shifted from
Barak Valley, where Bengali is the regional language, cope up? Will the Rabhas, Bodos residing in Guwahati not study in their mother tongue? During the Foundational and Preparatory years will a child studying in Bengaluru/Chennai have to restrict themselves from relocating to other parts of India?
Additionally, the policy fails to take a practical approach towards private school education in our country by once again choosing to associate philanthropy with this sector. If Goal 4 (SDG4) of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, must be achieved in true spirits, what we need is to give people the right to choose the school for their child and that choice should not be only with the ones who can afford but also the marginalised, the poor. This can be achieved by a voucher system that the poor will use to enrol his child to a school of choice which could be a government school or a private school. Allowing private schools to make profit will not only bring transparency to the system and motivate honest people to invest in this sector, curb black money but will also provide the poor, the luxury of choice for education. Creating an effective voucher system will be the true empowerment of the marginalised and poor. India is the only amongst the top ten global economies who do not allow for-profit education.
When government schools will compete with private schools in terms of learning outcomes, when private schools will have to deliver learning outcomes in order that they stay accredited, this sector will witness true revolution. Let the learning outcomes delivered by all schools, both government and private be assessed and used for gradation and accreditation and be made available online and offline. Let the poorer sections have a ‘Shiksha Card’ provided by the government which they can use in the institution of their choice. It is then that we can say that our country is committed towards ‘Equitable and Inclusive Education’ that provides ‘Learning for All’ Just as it is imperative that children not only learn, but more importantly learn how to learn, similarly the NEP guides us on What to Teach. What is more important is to Teach How to Teach and the National Curriculum Framework, the SCERT, the NCERTs will have to come with a ground-breaking delivery mechanism of the various aspects of NEP. Last but not the least accountability in every sphere, if not taken care of strictly, will render the NEP null and void.
