One of the most important features of the NEP is that its chief emphasis is on conceptual understanding rather than rote learning
They say change is the law of nature and the educational system too is no exception. It too has to change and develop with the changing times to remain ever relevant and up to date. That is why the experts in this country have time and again tried to meet the challenges of the changing times and there have always been such attempts to revamp the educational system from time to time to meet the needs of every new age.
In this regard, the New Educational Policy (NEP) 2020 has been implemented in the whole country.
The educational experts have designed this NEP brilliantly to meet the challenges of this age. There can hardly be any doubt about the fact that if this educational policy is implemented with letter and spirit everywhere it shall bring a revolution in our education system.
I will now try to provide a simple gist of the main features of this proposal according to my learning and understanding.
The NEP is closely related to the term School Based Assessment (SBA). SBA has been designed by educational experts to assess, grow and develop the educational standards of the learners comprehensively and thoroughly. SBA puts more thrust upon Formative Assessment rather than the Summative assessment. Formative assessment is the class-based assessment employed by the teachers throughout the session. It does not check only the memory power of the learners as the traditional examination system does. In simple words, it is teaching while testing and vice versa.
One of the highest priorities of the NEP for the Foundational stage is to achieve Foundational Literacy and Numeracy by all students by Grade 3. The students will be provided with the highest possible flexibility while learning to choose the area of their liking.
There will be no separation between arts and sciences and between curricular and extracurricular activities. This means that these areas may now mingle for the different stages in the school education system. This NEP believes in what is known as multidisciplinary and holistic education.
One of the most important features of the NEP is that its chief emphasis is on conceptual understanding rather than rote learning. It does away with the traditional approach of training the students only for the exams. It promotes Creativity and critical thinking to encourage logical decision-making problem problem-solving. It gives importance to several life skills such as communication, cooperation, teamwork resilience etc. which are basic for developing good and responsible citizens in society. Ethics and human and constitutional values like empathy, respect for others, cleanliness, democratic spirit scientific temper etc. are given importance for building model individuals and the great society.
As we all are aware this age is the age of technology, the NEP calls for extensive use of technology in teaching and learning.
The NEP considers the teachers and the faculty as the heart of the learning process. Although the learning would be learner-centric, the teachers have to play expert roles as they are the real guides, particularly at the ground level. Therefore, the teachers have to be empowered further by training and other means so that can play a pivotal role in bringing the real change which the policy aspires for.
The NEP calls for further substantial investment in a strong and vibrant public education system so that education becomes more and more inclusive. Although the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act 2009 laid down legal underpinnings for achieving universal elementary education there still remain some loopholes. This new policy aims at curtailing the dropout rates further and ensuring Universal Access to Education at all levels.
The policy also aspires to promote the reading of enjoyable and inspirational books for all levels of students throughout the country. It aims to build a culture of reading across the country for which it also prescribes the establishment of digital libraries in addition to school and community libraries.
The health of the children too is given priority. Because we are aware of the fact that children are unable to learn optimally when they are undernourished or unwell. Hence it prescribes that the issues related to nutrition and health which includes even the mental health of the students are properly addressed.
In our society, the teachers particularly have a central role to play if we desire to bring revolution to the whole system. The students and their parents often read-only on the paths where the nation builders lead them. The teachers thus have to understand that the traditional approach is not going to bring the desired results now. The need of the hour is that teachers being the real guides of our society shoulder the responsibility honestly and unite as a team to bring the change which society expects from them.
The writer is a teacher in the Education Department. He can be reached at bu*****************@***il.com