Frankly I was surprised with the release of the new education policy in July 2020. The pandemic had just begun showing its teeth. Everyone, is talking about a “new normal”, education sector has been at a standstill and every school or institution was grappling with ways to address the situation, to have class online or physical, to conduct exams or not etc. Now, it is a question of should we have classes or not. Grappling with decisions, and we are adding a new dimension.
I would have believed this was the best time for the Government to actually engage with the stake holders and fine tune the almost ready policy. Where was the hurry, most of the stakeholders would have had time to analyse, understand and feedback. The Goa CM, has said that Goa will roll out the NEP starting June 2021. Seriously, what about the planning for the rollout.
Even so, NEP 2020 is a reality. I wish more policies were written this way, it is only 66 pages compared to 400 plus earlier editions. “…our ability to provide high quality educational opportunities to them will determine the future of the country” . It is great the country with the highest population of young people has finally say up and realised that investment in education has a big future payback. As they say better late than never.
The NEP, has great ideas and is actually almost based on zero based budgeting concept, it is working as if nothing existed before so, no tinkering or fixing broken parts, it just builds it new. It starts earlier too ie at age three, rather than the current six, it is now 5+3+3+4 against the 10+2+3, if you dropped out from school or college, great news the system can take you back and you can learn all your life, not possible in the earlier system. We can go on. Ofcourse kids will have to make choices, which way to go much earlier, is that good?
We are actually going to step back to ensure our leap forward. We will focus on the fact that we had great institutes of learning like Nalanda Takshila etc and contributed a great deal through our scholars like Chanakya, Aryabatta etc and we have made seminal contributions to mathematics astronomy etc, rather than bench mark against the current international best practices.
However the word enshrined in our constitution “SECULAR” is conspicuous by its absence. We are moving forward nevertheless. A lot of effort is going into maintaining Sanskrit, we do not want to lose it and that is good, however the method will require stakeholders to come on board, in a highly competitive world, it looks like a damper.
What about the leadership for implementation of this new project, a plethora of regulatory bodies have been set up starting with CABE, Higher Education Council of India and also renaming the Ministry of HRD to Education ministry, trying to indicate the new focus. In addition, there will be, State Departments of education. Who is actually in-charge and eduction being a concurrent subject, what happens to the federal structure? Hope it is sorted else it is well know that too many cooks spoil the soup. Does the education department in Goa, have no issues with the multiplicity of controls and none with the State?
But some other special features. Does it also mean that our young people will no longer be considered a resource but will be educated nevertheless. However, the NEP states, …”the purpose of quality higher education is more than the creation of greater employment for individual employment, it represents the key to more vibrant socially engaged ………….and prosperous nation”. How can the nation be prosperous if they are ultimately not employed? Should not gainful employment not be a focus?
The policy lays a lot of emphasis of culture, truth and ethics among other things. All super and worth focussing on, especially ethics, but will this multiple oversight of different regulatory bodies lead to corruption? Ethical orientation in these days where students are exposed to a never ending list of ethical degradation in public life is really good. But how will it be taught, from books or by examples available in the public domain?
Teacher work load will not be excessive, teacher- student ratios will not be high so that teaching activity remains pleasant. I assume this implies no more election duty for teachers? Or no more census duty.
Reducing drop outs and mainstream vocational education is again notable, it also addresses the idea that vocational education is for low performers and attempts to check this by introducing it early and making it mainstream. Industry always complains that students who pass out are not employable, this should address that need.
Industry will also be happy that creativity and critical thinking to encourage logical decision making and not just rote learning are going to be pushed, study less but understand more. However even employment process and criteria will have to be tweaked to accommodate the changes, if you can leave at any-time, still get a certificate equivalent and re-enter later, how does industry treat such a candidate, apprentice programs will have to be tweaked, currently they address only completed studies as per 10+2+3
That research will be given a major push and industry linkages will be created is also welcome. This way we will have our own products and services based on research happening in India. Vocational education is going to get a big push under the NEP which is good.
One thing which I believe can be a deal breaker for many States is the three language formula, teaching in the mother tongue, but with migration a new normal, kids will need different mother tongues in school. That will be a challenge? The Southern States are already opposing the this aspect. Time will tell which way it will go.
So the key word would be implementation of this path breaking policy, i.e. is the government ready to increase expenditure of education from current 4.5% of GDP to atleast double, if the goals have to be met? Private players have been viewed suspiciously and are expected to be kept in check with a “light but tight “ policy. So investment may be not so forthcoming.
I personally wish we had this debate before finalisation, but it is a good policy with great ideas, so let all the stake holders work together to iron out the rough edges and make it a success.
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