Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said the Centre is planning to set up “PM Shri Schools” which will be aimed at preparing students for future and will be the laboratory of new National Education Policy (NEP). Pradhan said this while addressing the two-day National Education Minister’s Conference in Gujarat. “School education is the foundation on which India will become a knowledge-based economy. We are in the process of establishing ‘PM Shri schools’ which will be fully equipped to prepare students for the future,” Pradhan said in his address. He said these state-of-the-art schools will be the “laboratory of NEP 2020”. “We cannot deprive our new generation from 21st century knowledge and skills. I also encourage and solicit suggestions and feedback from all our states and UTs and the entire education ecosystem for creating a futuristic benchmark model in the form of PM Shri schools,” he added.
The minister said the 5+3+3+4 approach of the NEP covering pre-school to secondary school, emphasis on Early Childhood Care and Education Programme (ECCE), teacher training & adult education, integration of skill development with school education and prioritising learning in the mother tongue are steps for preparing global citizens of the 21st century. “I encourage Education Ministers of all states and Union Territories and also seek active participation from all stakeholders for developing our National Curriculum Framework as well as developing quality e-content for expanding the reach of digital education and for universalising education,” Pradhan said.
The minister said, “Best practices in education coming from different states and Union Territories will act as a cumulative force in transforming India’s youth as Vishwa-Manavs’ (global citizens). The education fraternity can immensely benefit from models of Karnataka, Odisha, Delhi, Meghalaya, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat and Haryana.”
“Today, at a time when we are celebrating Amrit Mahotsav, the National Achievement Survey 2021 has instilled confidence and has reaffirmed the sincere efforts of all our states and Union Territories in improving learning outcomes and in further strengthening access to quality education,” he added.
