NEP 2020: A crucial step towards transforming India into a global power

The much-awaited National Education Policy 2020 (NEP 2020) comes with the hope to transform India’s education sector to the next level in a decade. But the bigger question is - has the country’s education been static since the policy was last revised? The answer would be, no. Over the years, India has taken rapid strides in implementing newer teaching-learning processes, curriculum designs and assessments. However, it has happened sporadically, and without any standardization to vouch for its efficacy. The need for NEP The need of the hour is to look at education beyond policies, across boards, states and divides, be it social or economic. The world we live in today is non-linear. It requires customised and unique solutions for each mind and that’s where holistic learning enters the scene. We have to enable classrooms that inculcate deep learning even at the grassroots. We will need pedagogies for developing knowledge and skills that create successful and confident learners. Reforms in the making From the perspective of an educator, this revolution is definitely a positive step towards catapulting India onto the global platform. Emphasis on holistic and experiential learning will usher in an era where upskilling and upgradation will be introduced at the school level through focus on vocational training, inclusivity, equity, technology and flexibility. While NEP 2020 signals a wave of reforms, only time will tell how it will reflect practically in the Indian education sector. NEP and beyond The emphasis on Foundational Learning and Numeracy (FLN) will help children develop the love for learning, pique their curiosity and make the learning process fun. The flexible, experiential and multi-disciplinary approach will broaden the realms of thinking and give students cross-curricular linkages to apply their learning in real-life situations. This paradigm shift will help redesign assessments with emphasis on competencies rather than learning outcomes, and at the same time, encouraging critical thinking and creative problem solving. A technology-embedded curriculum will open vistas for students for more intensive research; digital adoption will help further home-ideated innovations. Numbers and challenges Coming to the logistics – India currently has 15 lakh schools, 25 crore students and 89 lakh teachers. The key challenges to address here would be cooperation between the Centre and states, infrastructure and capacity building in schools, financial fender-benders and availing the power of public-private partnership. The need for FLN stems from the fact that 72.8 per cent children cannot read a simple class 2-level sentence and 71.9 per cent children cannot solve a basic subtraction problem by class 3. Children, who fail to attain these basic literacy and numeracy skills, find it difficult to catch up in later years, eventually leading to a hollow sense of educational qualification. Since the primary focus of NEP 2020 is foundational learning of core skills, the policy has accorded highest priority to FLN so a child can ‘learn to read’ by the class 3 and ‘read to learn’, post that. India’s aim is to achieve universal FLN in primary schools by 2026-27. Reduction in content Reduction in content has been envisioned to cut the clutter and encourage children to explore and imbibe knowledge on their own. The decrease in dependence on books goes hand-in-hand with the idea that learning has transcended the bounds of traditional textbooks. Holistic learning involves the use of experiential and practical tools, encouraging critical thinking. The reduction in content should allow children to broaden their horizons beyond the traditional bounds of rote learning and exam-focused studying. A roadmap for implementation Integration is key to the realisation of this policy. Subjects, though focused, should allow the liberty of going over and beyond – in short, fuelling the concept of education without borders at the micro level. Integration of subjects, development of a scientific temper, emphasis on digital literacy and promotion of multi-lingual teaching should act as fodder to the crop of learning. There will no longer be a need for silos, giving the liberty in establishing cross curricular linkages beyond the routine scope of syllabus. The development of the National Curriculum Framework, development of modern standardised syllabi, development of teacher support material and training material, and inculcation of language and culture in learning holds the power to transform India at the grassroots. To realise this goal, focussed training of educators is also indispensable. A change in the assessment structure with focus on exams only at classes 3, 5 and 8 should reap educational dividends because these will only be conducted to track academic growth. Assessment of core concepts and knowledge, higher-order skills and its application in real-life situations will chart the path that allows students a detour from rote learning. Rethinking education In the times of instant gratification, both, the hunger for knowledge and the power to satiate curiosity is gradually, but surely, declining. This makes it essential for educators to adopt a constructivist and learner-centric approach. Also, with this reformed policy, aatmanirbharta should find its true expression in the very foundation of India’s growth. The world needs critical reflections, and NEP 2020 is the first step. The author is Director-Education and Principal of ICSE-affiliated Sulochanadevi Singhania School. Views are personal. 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