First and foremost, I applaud the release of the National Education Policy – 34 years but alas we have a progressive road map and now the onus of implementation falls on all stakeholders including us educators to “walk the talk”!
Without getting into a comprehensive dissection of the policies, I would highlight certain key takeaways that clearly pave the way for a better tomorrow.
There has been a lot of chatter on Early Learning for some time now, and it is indeed pleasing to see this figure into the NEP 2020 guidelines. It is crucial that the foundation years of a student are well tapped into a truly holistic manner. India is sitting on limitless potential and this move will certainly accelerate the realisation of the same in the long run.
Introduction of a portfolio based assessment with a 360-degree approach is a major takeaway, not only because this involves teachers and students but the parents as well. The latter have often been sidelined and with this; the true support system of the children finally comes into play.
Also read: National Education Policy advocates use of technology in education
We often hear the terms holistic and progressive education, however, these require flexibility and willingness to experiment. This can now be done under the policy with respect to assessments, pedagogy, courses etc.
We have all seen students getting “put in a category” for their selection of subjects in schools which leads to a “blinder” approach to avenues in the real world. This stigma needed to be addressed and am confident with the pathways now available for students, we will finally leave this the archaic mindset in the past.
Any policy or idea is only as good as its implementation and only time will tell how well all the stakeholders address these aspects of implementation, however, all-around this is a major step in the right direction and will certainly elevate the country’s talent further on to the world stage!
