By Anchal Kanojiya
NEP: A potentially transformative policy
The National Education Policy 2020 (NEP 2020) is a transformative policy for education in India, aiming to address various challenges in the Indian education system. These challenges include an outdated curriculum, unequal access to quality education, and budget constraints. The policy promotes holistic learning, accessibility, and continuous teacher development to prepare students for the 21st century.
The National Education Policy 2020 (NEP 2020) is a visionary step in reforming the Indian education system, with a focus on critical thinking, creativity, and inclusive learning. Regarding inclusive learning, one of the most significant challenges in the Indian education system is catering to the needs of special children. The lack of individualised support and teaching specific to their needs is a hurdle. With large class sizes and limited resources, it's often difficult to provide the one-on-one attention and tailored instruction that these students require. This is one area where execution of the NEP is lagging.
One significant positive development has been NEP 2020's effort to address budget constraints. It does so by increasing India's education expenditure and allocating significant funds to improve education quality. In the 2023-24 budget, the Ministry of Education received a 13% increase in allocation to support the policy's goals. To address these issues, NEP 2020 aims to increase India's education expenditure from 3% to 6% of the GDP. In the budget for 2023-24, the Ministry of Education has been allocated Rs 1,12,899 crore, marking a 13% increase from the previous year.
NEP 2020 also highlights the importance of early education and improving math proficiency among students. However, there is a concerning trend of declining maths scores in India. From my experience, teachers in my school were not teaching maths properly; they encouraged students to memorise problems for exams, which led to issues like strained relationships between teachers and students and a lack of understanding of fundamental maths concepts.
In terms of curriculum, NEP 2020 emphasizes that maths education should prepare students for daily life, including general problem-solving and handling money. It employs various resources and strategies to achieve these goals. This was not done in my class and I grew up thinking I was weak at Maths.
Student dropout: an urgent issue that needs addressing
Another critical issue in the Indian education system is the dropout rate, especially in secondary school. The UDISE 2021-22 data shows that the dropout rate is highest at the secondary level (9-10) with 12.6%, followed by upper primary (6-8) with 3%, and primary (1-5) with 1.5%.
Financial constraints and lack of family support often force students to discontinue their education, impacting their potential for academic excellence. Government initiatives and community support are crucial to preventing early school dropout and ensuring that every child has the opportunity to receive an
education and pursue their dreams.
For instance, my two close friends faced the challenging decision to discontinue their education due to financial constraints and the absence of family support. Instead, they embarked on their work journey at a tender age, labouring in a modest shop. Their potential for academic excellence was evident, and had they been given the opportunity to pursue their studies, they would likely have excelled in their academic pursuits and achieved remarkable success in life, transcending their roles in the shops I can relate to their struggles, as I've seen firsthand how financial constraints and lack of parental support can severely impact a student's educational journey.
In 'A New Wave of Evidence: The Impact of School, Family, and Community Connections on Student Achievement' by Henderson, A. T., & Mapp, K. L. (2002), the positive impact of family and community involvement in education is highlighted. Factors like parental involvement, socioeconomic influences, and home environment play a crucial role in a child's education. From my experience, parental involvement in a child's education, such as helping with homework, attending school events, and fostering a positive learning environment at home, is associated with improved academic performance and higher self-esteem in children.
To make education more flexible, education systems are implementing various strategies, including offering a combination of in-person and online classes. Research shows allowing students to choose from a wider range of elective courses, incorporating experiential learning opportunities, adjusting school schedules to better suit individual needs, and promoting personalised learning plans can benefit students in the future.
Teacher training is another critical issue. NEP 2020 recognizes the pivotal role of teachers in education and promotes continuous professional development. However, in many cases, educators are not adequately trained to work with special needs children. According to the findings of a research study, most teachers teaching children with learning disabilities did not receive any special needs education training from the school, and they feel that they are not qualified to teach the children with learning disability. Adequate teacher training is vital to ensure students receive the support they need to succeed academically and socially.
Teacher training is critically important, being from a government school where educators often handle multiple subjects and large class sizes. Managing 80 to 90 students in a single classroom can be challenging, leading to difficulties in providing individualised attention. By assigning one teacher per subject, students can receive more focused and effective instruction, enhancing their understanding and educational outcomes. Teachers are saddled with administrative work and a large chunk of their time goes into that.
Digital literacy and early education are also emphasized in NEP 2020. Learning about computers at a young age can help children develop important digital literacy and problem-solving skills. It can also prepare them for a digital world where these skills are essential.However, on the ground municipal schools do not have functional computer labs and enough instructional hours for computer education.
NEP 2020 encourages a well-rounded education that includes science, maths, arts, and humanities. It promotes the integration of arts, humanities, and sciences, as well as vocational education, to ensure a well-rounded education. Students have the flexibility to choose their subjects and are encouraged to learn in their native language, promoting better comprehension and cultural preservation.
The policy also prepares students for the job market through vocational training, which can lead to increased job opportunities and higher earnings.Further, governments have introduced various initiatives to promote vocational training. and support the development of practical skills.
(1) Skill India Mission: Launched by the Government of India, this initiative aims to train over 40 crore (400 million) people in India in various skills by 2022. It includes the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) program, which offers skill development training to youth across the country.
(2)National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC): NSDC is a public-private partnership organisation that plays a pivotal role in promoting skill development in India. It supports various skill development programs and partners with training providers.
These include funding for vocational schools and apprenticeship programs.
In conclusion, the National Education Policy 2020 seeks to address numerous challenges in the Indian education system, and its success depends on various factors, including adequate funding, early education, teacher training, and a diverse learning experience. It aims to create a more inclusive and accessible education system that equips students for the demands of the 21st century It is now incumbent on the state educational machinery to make sure that execution of the policy happens and the policy does not remain a dream document.
Anchal is an alumni of Astytva and is pursuing his BA in economics at DY Patil College, Pune. Currently working with Astytva as an intern, Anchal has his fingers in many pies, from helping students with their learning needs to setting up our new center space, Anchal has done it all. In his free time, he uses visual art as a medium to express himself.
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