Educators are unanimous on the point that the draft of the New Education Policy addresses several pressing needs but want a concrete action plan that can ensure its effective implementation on ground.
KOCHI: The principals and educators of CBSE schools across the state have high hopes on the New Education Policy-2019 (NEP-2019) drafted by a panel of experts led by Dr K. Kasturirangan.
According to Dr L. Lakshmi Haridas, principal of Al-Ameen Public School, Edappally, Kochi, the new policy aims to minimise rote learning while enabling students to have a holistic development in acquiring 21st century skills such as creativity, critical thinking, scientific temper, multilingualism, problem-solving, ethics and digital literacy.
“The smallest category of school children needs to be taught in a play-way method. There should be a flexible curriculum for it which go in sync with the child's natural, cognitive, emotional and physical education that are emphasised in NEP-2019,” she said.
Fr. John Erniakulathil, principal of St Philomena’s Public School and Junior College, Elanji, feels the 5+3+3+4 system in the NEP-2019 the focuses on empowering the children for the foundational stage.
“Survival of the fittest is the order of the day, and so the children are to be caught young and trained to survive in the cut-throat competition of the aggressive achievers. Therefore starting the elementary education early on and for a longer time is an added advantage,” he said.
Muraleedharan Nair, director (academics), MGM Group of Schools, Thiruvananthapuram, says the NEP-2019 has focused on basic understanding of language, and mathematics along with teacher training programmes, vocational courses, research funding in higher education by creating apex regulatory bodies for qualitative changes which are all in the right direction. It also gives importance to public financing, stress-free education, raising enrollment ratio to 50 per cent and the use of modern technology in the learning process.
Malini S. V., principal, Sabarigiri English School, Anchal, Kollam, says NEP’s stress on effective teacher recruitment, resourcing and governance through school complexes, regulation and accreditation of school education are all in the right direction. “It is clearly needed in the present scenario,” she said.
Sreekala Karunakaran, principal of SBOA Senior Secondary Public School, South Chittoor, Kochi, feels the National Curriculum Framework 2005 laid guidelines for schools to design and develop curriculum, suitable textbooks and instructional strategies to address the needs of the learner and the NEP-2019 is taking school education further from that.
In the new 5+3+3+4 system, the fourth stage of a student’s school life is the last four years starting from Class IX to XII, feels S. Jyothis Chandran, chairman, Jyothis Group of Schools, Thiruva-nanthapuram. The terms ‘secondary’ and ‘senior secondary’ are likely to disappear from CBSE records, he said.
“If the NEP-2019 is to succeed, the content required by the students should be closely monitored while it is moulded. It should be ensured that each student while crossing over to a higher class is acquiring minimum knowledge for that level. Currently that is not happening. Here, free and compulsory education with no failures in smaller classes would look odd,” said Ms Haridas.
“A semester system is likely to be introduced as we have it in colleges. With the introduction of the new education policy, the baggage burden will be reduced to the great relief of children," Mr Chandran said. “They will have educational equity in the community, teaching-learning processes will be made most joyful, creative, exploratory and vibrant. It ensures the quality of education, innovative pedagogies and active learning.”
The new system encourages high levels of family and community involvement, supportive learning environment, focused professional development, high levels of collaboration and communication, and high standards and expectations from students, Mr Chandran said.
"Let’s hope to have a complete revamp in the NEP to cater to the growing relevant needs of the contemporary society instead of seeing old wine in a new bottle,” said Mr Chandran.
If the NEP-2019 is to succeed, says Dr Haridas, the content required by the students should be closely monitored while it is moulded. It should be ensured that each student, while crossing over to a higher class, is acquiring minimum knowledge for that level. "Currently, that is not happening. Here, free and compulsory education with no failures in smaller classes would look odd,” she said.
“Beyond the age of 8, the children adopt a well-defined system of learning, which is already of discovery nature, so the curriculum should also give provision for understanding and critical thinking. Later in the higher age, as the child reaches the 8th or 9th grade, with the content they acquired, they start to analyse creatively and start thinking of their life plan. Students here have the flexibility in opting subjects. This again helps them to widen the area of interest and passion,” she said. “It is thus to adopt experienced learning, hand-holding all the Bloom’s taxonomy’ domain. Activity-based education in the prime classes will replace the lecture method.”
Mr Nair, however, opined that the draft lacked operational details and did not offer insights into how the policy will be funded and there is room for private institutions to flourish by charging high fees.
“The centre must also ensure that the policy does not face litigation, resistance from states and operational challenges as each state has different languages. The draft is specific and action-packed to improve the quality of education,” he said.
Fr. Erniakulathil feels education for earning or for a lucrative job does not fulfil the spirit of the overall development of a child. Moreover, not only the children of the privileged and the rich but those of the poor and downtrodden are all to be brought under the ambit of the new system.
"Discrimination of any kind should not be there based on any social stratification. Discrimination everywhere is highly conspicuous due to the absence of absolute equality among the citizens of our country. NEP needs to address all these aspects,” he said.
