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Boosting education ecosystem with rich experience, shared ideas & perspectives: Dr Sheela Menon, Ambassador School

By
digitalLEARNING Network
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Sheela Menon

The 2020 pandemic just added additional numbers to already increasing school dropouts in many parts of the world. Other than geographic disparities and economic constraints in many countries, there are many more reasons behind this rising concern, especially when we see a growing gender disparity in the number of out-of school children, shared Dr Sheela Menon, Principal, Ambassador School, Dubai in an exclusive conversation with Sheeba Chauhan of Elets News Network. Edited excerpts:

According to UNICEF, Over 600 million children and adolescents worldwide are unable to attain minimum proficiency levels in reading and mathematics. What do you consider the issue in developing foundational skills in literacy and numeracy?

Despite a conscious boost to raise literacy rates in most of the economies worldwide, especially in the MDCs (More Developed Countries) and LDCs (Less Developed Countries) the educators have observed a gap in their learning skills and proficiency levels. Our day-to-day observation as educators raises many a concern and questions behind this gap. Besides poverty which is a major factor, children living in countries facing political disturbances, economic instability, war /conflict zones, and natural calamities often are left with widening lacunae in basic schooling skills. The most likely reasons behind such low proficiency levels are:

Lack of experienced and trained teachers: Though schools are absolutely affirmed in their process of selection only for trained teachers, often are bereft of finding the right talent which thus impacts poor skill development in our early learning group of students. A teacher who has studied the English language would know best how to develop phonemic and phonologic awareness, vocabulary build-up, pronunciation, and grammatical skills, rather than someone who is not from the same subject background. The same is seen with numeracy skills. Teachers need constant self enriching exercises in their subject knowledge and proficiency levels in teaching. CPDs are extremely important tools to help teachers discover newer methods of classroom exchanges and interaction which help in raising skills in students.

Digital preoccupation is a deterrent to developing foundational skills and proficiency levels: Perhaps digitalisation of education has its flip side when we see the decreasing percentage of young readers these days. In the face of the digital preoccupation of our children with video games and other pastimes, reading is found to be a waning passion today.

Lack of infrastructure, inadequate learning material and resources act as a great hindrance in raising the percentage of able learners and in perfecting their skills. Many schools are not equipped with the basic level of infrastructure. In 21st century schools, apart from classroom resources and library, internet connection and digital support to teachers and students are important for a smoother transaction of lessons and faster learning of the many areas of language and numeracy skills.

Foundational skills require clear instructions to students, and it is absolutely essential to understand that proficiency in foundational skills comprising of reading, writing, speaking and listening, helps our learners to get a better grip on numeracy and a host of other skills required in handling various subjects.

Some two-thirds of the world’s school-aged children do not have an internet connection in their homes. Do you think the digital divide can be a major drawback of the digitization of education?

The focus on digitalization of education and its necessity was felt the most during the Covid 19 Pandemic years when the world over, onsite learning at schools came to a halt. Digital technology helped in the continuity of learning at all levels in students of all age groups through virtual classrooms. From completely off-site to hybrid learning and now back to normalcy, academicians and educators evolved in their latest skill, establishing the fact that learning never stops if essential tools are made available. The use of technology and digital skills and applications are here to stay, and perhaps will increase more so in times ahead.

The concerning question today is if lack of technology or absence of digital skills could prove to be detrimental for our students at school levels. It is to be noted that every school today is not blessed with the same levels of infrastructure, now deemed as most important for greater efficacy in the teaching-learning process.

  • Several less developed countries still are not well equipped with high-speed internet connections at home and at schools.
  • Affordability, accessibility and availability of digital technology if found a challenge to school, could mean lesser skill development in the students and a growing disparity between technology-savvy students and those without. This could further limit opportunities for the students in academics and professional life ahead.
  • There could be a growing inequality among economies leading to further socio-political challenges.

Equitable access to learning opportunities and improved skills development in primary education ensures a better future. Do you think catering to primary education mindfully can transform the education ecosystem?

The right to education is a fundamental right provided by most developed countries and growing economies. For many nations, elementary and free education is a mandatory component of social wellbeing of children up to an age of 14 years.

  • Primary education plays a pivotal role for both the individual and society. With an effective and wholesome curriculum, primary education builds a strong foundation which opens many future opportunities for self-growth and sustainability, as well as in poverty eradication and fostering positive social changes.
  • Primary education is the strongest pillar on which a student’s academic career builds up and which in turn helps the student to further his/her dreams in professional career and in life ahead. Foundational skills in literacy and numeracy are the two strongest bases built at this time which then goes on to provide support in all other subjects and areas of interest in students.
  • A school’s primary wing is a world of its own where a child steps in for the first time away from the secured home to know the world outside of his known ecosystem. This is where she/he learns to find the keys to open doors to a future of respectable, independent, self-sustaining and fulfilling life. Primary education is the first point of a journey ahead where necessary skill building shapes up a student’s personality, ethics and values and initiates all the essential requirements in terms of lifelong practices and discipline which further has a deeper role in writing success stories for a student.
  • A nation, a society filled with students armed with the foundational skills instilled in them in their early year’s education is sure to prosper with skilled human resources.
  • Last but not the least, a strong primary education integrating the changing requirements of the current generation given by a school builds up a very holistic education ecosystem which continues to grow richer, and healthier in the following stages as a chain reaction. Students honed with necessary foundational skills from primary years take on the next stage of skills easier and faster, as observed by the teachers in successive phases of school education.

244 million children and youth are out of school globally, of which 118.5 million are girls. Apart from the several other concern, this is the major concern seen in school-going students. Your comments on the same.

The 2020 pandemic just added additional numbers to already increasing school dropouts in many parts of the world. Other than geographic disparities and economic constraints in many countries, there are many more reasons behind this rising concern, especially when we see a growing gender disparity in the number of out-of-school children.

  • School dropouts are very high in conflict-prone regions of the world, as in war-stricken, unstable governments, civil wars or even in nations battling with the economic crisis.
  • Lack of accessibility and affordability in school education is one of the major reasons for many children kept away from schools. Either education is expensive or not available everywhere or for everyone.
  • Students of determination and special needs are not given access to all schools in many parts of the world. Inclusive education is still an unknown territory in many countries leaving behind a growing gap.
  • Gender bias and discrimination have cost the education rights of girls in many societies. Lack of infrastructure, societal expectations, cultural practices and beliefs, have led to fewer girls continuing with their education. Flouting laws on marriage and motherhood have led minors into marriage and early motherhood and thereby ending their need for education.
  • In many developing economies, children are used as workforce despite a law against the exploitation of children and child labour. Government’s inability to stop such practices or the lack of will towards the execution and implementation of the laws have harmed the education rights of our children. Often more than lack of resources, governments have been found to be negligent, lacking in purposeful reforms or shying away from investing in the education sector, thus leading to decreasing numbers of school-going students.

World Education Summit 2023 in Dubai aims to unlock fresh strategies and foster new approaches to build a future-ready education ecosystem. How do you think such conferences help to uplift education standards at a global level?

Meeting people from the same industry but from different places of the world always is a route towards positive changes and growth. Knowing some of the best minds and learning and sharing with each other helps to find solutions to some of the raging concerns which are a global phenomena.

Rich experiences, shared ideas and perspectives help in strategizing better plans to boost the education ecosystem which will eventually lead to collective benefits for the younger generation. Interactions and exchanges open newer avenues for networking for greater and better-shared practices, sharing concerns and finding solutions.

Knowing about the latest global trends in education as in policies, new methodologies of teaching, newer tools and applications, assessment routes and outcomes, latest methods of data interpretation, etc.

Last but not least such summits give us a deeper reflection of our own practices and where we stand, a higher means of self reflection as we compare with global standards.

S Chand to acquire minority stake in Edtech Startup – ixamBee

By
digitalLEARNING Network
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S Chand and Company Limited

S Chand and Company Limited and its subsidiaries have agreed to acquire a minority investment in AtoZLearn Edutech Private Limited. Other investors in the round include the Mukesh Sharma Family Trust, Inflection Point Ventures (IPV), Firstport Capital, Keiretsu Forum, and Directors of S Chand and Key Managerial Personnel of S Chand.

One of the top providers of educational information, S. Chand and Company serves the entire nation with its offerings. The company operates in three business segments: Early Learning, K–12, and Higher Education, offering content, solutions, and services throughout the whole education lifecycle. The company is well-established in state board-associated schools across India as well as schools affiliated with the CBSE/ICSE and WBSE.

Chandraprakash Joshi, Arunima Sinha, and Sandeep Singh started ixamBee (AToZLearn Edutech Private Limited) in Delhi NCR in December 2016. A superior ‘ixamBee Learning Experience (iLX)’ developed by ixamBee has helped small town students prepare for job-related tests with an emphasis on government positions and speeds up their exam preparation by 50%.

We are thrilled to join ixamBee in its mission to close the employment gap between higher education and employability by preparing students for jobs in both the public and private sectors. The S Chand vision of quality and affordable education opportunities is aligned with the focus on delivering quality and inexpensive education to kids in semi-urban and rural areas so that their aspirations and dreams can become a reality. According to Himanshu Gupta, Managing Director of S Chand Group, “We find many synergies with ixamBee on quality content development, marketing, and addressing the aspirations of the country’s future labour force.

“The majority of our users are from Tier 2 or Tier 3 communities, where there is a lack of access to good education and appropriate counsel. We have more than 12 million students under our reach as we develop a freemium business model. On the ixamBee platform, 1.8 million students have answered 730 million questions. As they bring several synergies for company growth, we are thrilled to have S Chand Group, Mukesh Sharma Family Trust, and IPV as investors in ixamBee. As one of India’s top providers of educational content, the S Chand Group’s participation will multiply ixamBee Learning Experience’s (iLX) reach, and IPV’s network will be useful in collaborating with businesses to place students in the private sector, according to Chandraprakash Joshi, ixamBee CEO.

Performing arts is a life tool and stepping stone to a brighter future: Denise Hutton Gosney, Razzamataz Theatre Schools

By
digitalLEARNING Network
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denise

Having performing arts in schools, taught by specialist teachers, not only ignites creativity but also fosters emotional intelligence, creating well-rounded individuals. Even in the more traditional academic subjects, studies have shown that children who participate in performing arts will have an improved outcome, shared Denise Hutton Gosney, Managing Director and Founder, Razzamataz Theatre Schools in an exclusive conversation with Sheeba Chauhan of Elets News Network (ENN). Edited excerpts:

In a world of theoretical books and monotonous learning, you are bringing fun while learning into the life of students. Let us know in detail about your organisation and various programmes.

Razzamataz Theatre Schools launched in 2000 and currently have 60 schools across the UK, teaching 10,000 children a week. We are a multi-award-winning franchise theatre school, which successfully appeared on BBC’s Dragons’ Den. We offer performing arts education to children and young people from the age of four to eighteen in our main school as well as classes for the pre-school age group and parent and baby classes.

  • Razz Minis (age 4-5) – a fun and informative introduction to the world of performing arts.
  • Razz Juniors (age 6-8) – vibrant and energetic dance, drama and singing classes covering all aspects of the performing arts.
  • Razz Inters (age 9-11) – vibrant and energetic dance, drama and singing classes covering all aspects of the performing arts.
  • Razz Seniors (age 12-18) – high-quality training in dance, drama and singing covering commercial genres and musical theatre.
  • Razz Tots (age 2-3) and Tiny Tots (babies to 23 months) – parent/guardian assisted melody, imagination, and movement class.
  • Razzamataz Project Intense – an exclusive class to support students who wish to take their training to a more advanced level, focusing on the technical skills of dance.
  • Holiday schools – dance, drama, and singing together with learning more about the aspects of theatre including prop making, costume design, choreography, and many more.

Razzamataz was created with a simple dream, to make performing arts available to all young people. How is Razz theatre school bringing performing arts into the life of students? Is there any restriction to the age limit to learn the same?

Our teams of professional performing arts educators will teach the very latest trends in commercial performance and West End and Broadway musical theatre styles. We offer classes in dance, singing, and acting covering a wide range of popular genres including street dance, screen acting, pop singing, and classic musical theatre. Our teams of teachers are highly skilled and experienced, and we offer them regular one-to-one sessions to empower them to lead a class of students that are both experienced and those that are new to performing arts. We give teachers many resources, including the opportunity to complete the Training Academy and earn a Razzamataz teaching diploma. This gives them tools to understand how to bring out the best in every age group and how to deal with challenges such as a lack of confidence, shyness, and other developmental issues. Whether children come to us at the age of two or at the age of twelve, we can bring out their creative side through our fun and dynamic classes.

85 % of a child’s brain develops at an early age in their life. Your institutions have a lot of programmes for early childhood. How are these programmes helping children in excelling from others and how are you making these developments enjoyable while ensuring cognitive development?

Thanks to science, we now know how important these early years are. Through performing arts games and activities, the Razzamataz Early Years classes have been created to aid healthy development for early childhood. The classes have been designed in line with the UK Government’s Early Years Foundation Stage framework, which encourages literacy skills, social skills and problem-solving ability. Offering fun, interactive and imaginative classes to little ones, the content of these sessions helps young children connect, communicate and build community. The programmes have been developed to inspire children to see the world through imagination, senses, play and performing arts. The sessions are themed to provide new experiences and include all the areas that ignite little one’s imagination such as ‘jungle adventures’ ‘under the sea’ and ‘space travel.’ As well as all the benefits to the children, the adults can enjoy special bonding time with their child and meeting other parents and careers living locally over tea and coffee at the end of the class while the children play.

The world is escalating toward a more transformative educational setup. Do you think institutions like yours will escalate performing arts as a mainstream setup in the education segment worldwide?

Razzamataz is passionate about supporting schools worldwide to grow the next generation of confident, adaptable, collaborative and curious leaders. Performing arts is a life tool and stepping stone to a brighter future. Razzamataz helps young people and schools see the value of the Arts sitting next to Science, Technology, Engineering, and Maths. When performing arts is embedded into children’s lives, students can communicate effectively, negotiate, collaborate, become entrepreneurs and leaders. In the UK, we work with many schools offering workshops and classes and the feedback we receive is extremely positive. Having performing arts in schools, taught by specialist teachers, not only ignites creativity, but it also fosters emotional intelligence, creating well-rounded individuals. Even in the more traditional academic subjects, studies have shown that children who participate in performing arts will have an improved outcome. Forward-thinking schools must consider their performing arts programmes to create confident young people with the communication skills needed to succeed in the modern workforce.

World Education Summit 2023 in Dubai aims to unlock fresh strategies and foster new approaches to build a future-ready education ecosystem. How do you think such conferences help to uplift education standards at a global level?

The World Education Summit 2023 in Dubai is giving a platform to arts providers such as Razzamataz who can enhance education standards by showcasing our twenty-plus years of experience working with children and young people. At Razzamataz, we are on a mission to build self-belief in our students, inspiring the next generation through the arts to be better communicators with increased confidence leading to higher academic achievement. The benefits of performing arts are far reaching. Children gain a wealth of attributes by engaging in Razzamataz performing arts lessons. This is anything from increased confidence, collaboration skills, positive effects on a child’s academic learning and increased empathy. We give them a place where they can go to find community, have fun and express themselves in a safe and secure environment. With the Summit highlighting the many benefits, we believe this will change how schools view performing arts. Through performing arts providers such as Razzamataz, we can offer the tools and resources they need to improve education standards wherever they are based globally.

Up to 44% of college students reported having symptoms of depression and anxiety worldwide. Your institution is developing youth confidence and improving health and fitness whilst learning fantastic performing skills. Our readers want to know about your dynamic courses that are mitigating these challenges in the youth.?

Human beings thrive in communities, which is why so many of our students and their families have said they have transformed during their time at Razzamataz, because we are passionate about creating safe and happy spaces for young people to prosper. We work with thousands of young adults, leading to an enormous amount of experience and understanding about their challenges and how Razzamataz sessions improve their physical and mental health. In each Razzamataz school, we encourage Principals to develop special bonds with their students and their families. We encourage regular one to one with teachers and staff to talk about individual students to flag up any worries, we have special ‘Nights In’ to chat to students in an informal way about a variety of topics, we maintain excellent communication with families to keep up to date with new things in students’ lives and we enhance wellbeing through various activities, team building sessions and work on specific ways to build better mental health with specialist coaches. Students really do make lifelong friends with their Razzamataz classmates, which is encouraged through working together and collaborating through putting on shows and performances.

Explore the next in education – An opportunity to elevate the education to global standards

By
Sheeba Chauhan, Senior Sub Editor
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next education

Education needs a new definition, a definition never explored before – it’s time to ‘Explore the Next in Education’. It’s time to circumvent the formidable challenges and reach the zenith in all ways possible to meet the evolving needs of learners in today’s fiercely competitive world.

What is Next in Education? With all the rigorous transformation, it is hard to stick to one. The education ecosystem is large and longing to transform at the fastest speed and the digital wave is making it even faster.

Education beyond classrooms, digital devices, edtechs, rise of subscription-based learning, AI-based learning and more are going to rule the next generation of education. It will be no longer necessary to visit an offline campus to be Data Scientist or to be an Architect, learning will be on the move in the forthcoming times. Recently, a UK graduate wrote an essay using the contentious AI chatbot and surprisingly received passing grades, according to ‘The Independent’. Another graduate from the University of Bristol decided to see if ever-hyped AI tools might be utilised to complete theory assignments and coursework. He used the bot to write a 2,000-word article about social policy. The bot completed an assignment that students were supposed to complete in 12 weeks in 20 minutes. The internet is buzzing with many such stories nowadays. It would not be hyperbolic to say that humans are hijacked by machines and the world will see more of it in the years to come.

Everyone has one’s own opinion on technology implementation. The education fraternity across the globe is continuously aligning itself with the the evolving technologies and believes ‘technology can never replace humans, though humans who don’t know how to use technology will be replaced’. Consider the automatic teller machine as a primary example. Developed in the 1960s and popularised in the 70s and 80s, it was expected that it will likely replace some human tellers, but it’s 2023 and most banks and organisations still have tellers. World is looking at technology as a promise, not as a peril. Alvin Toffler, an American writer once said, “The illiterate of 21st-century won’t be those who cannot read or write but those who cannot learn, unlearn and relearn”. It’s mandatory to match yourself with evolving technology to stay relevant in the 21st century.

It is the century of most novel innovations like Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Big Data, Metaverse, Cloud, Internet of Things, and more. The stage is open now for innovations and that can’t happen in isolation, it’s time to expand our horizon and go global. It’s time for international collaboration for mutual recognition of countries. Most recently, Australian Education Minister Jason Clare signed an MoU with the Education Minister of India on a Mechanism for the Mutual Recognition of Qualifications. Australia will start recognising higher education degrees obtained in India under this mutual framework.

The forthcoming in the education sector are endless as the sector is growing at an unprecedented rate. Global Education and Training Expenditure is set to reportedly reach at least $10T by 2030 as technology drives unprecedented re-skilling and up-skilling in developed economies. The next of education is bigger and brighter.

Exploring the Next in Education: Technology Outlook

Technology has played an increasingly important role in education, from online classes to interactive learning platforms. With the advancement of technology, new opportunities are opening up to revolutionise the way we teach and learn.

Latest Trends

  • Artificial Intelligence (AI): Artificial Intelligence (AI) is one of the most promising technologies in education. AI can help personalise learning by analyzing data on individual student performance, preferences, and learning styles. It can also help teachers and administrators identify patterns and trends in student data that can inform decisions about curriculum and instruction. AI-powered chatbots can also help students with questions and support them in real-time. Additionally, AI can help automate grading and assessment, freeing up teachers to focus on more personalized instruction and feedback.
  • Virtual and Augmented Reality (VR/AR): Virtual and Augmented Reality (VR/AR) is another technology that has the potential to revolutionise education. With VR/ AR, students can experience immersive simulations that help them understand complex concepts and scenarios. For example, medical students can use VR/AR to practice surgeries in a realistic virtual environment, without the risk of harming real patients. Similarly, students studying history can use VR/AR to experience historical events and places, bringing history to life in a way that is not possible with traditional teaching methods.
  • Subscription-Based Learning: Today, we have many platform that works on subscription like Upgrad, Unacademy, Coursera and more. You just have to select the right package & learn. All that is possible because we have technologies that can conduct live study sessions, remote proctoring and more which makes these platforms– a great success!
  • Metaverse: Metaverse has the potential to transform education by providing a more engaging, flexible, and immersive learning environment. One of the main benefits of the metaverse is its ability to provide immersive and interactive learning experiences. Students can explore virtual environments, engage in simulations and experiments, and collaborate with other learners from anywhere in the world.

Moreover, the metaverse offers a level of flexibility and accessibility that traditional education cannot provide. For example, learners can access courses and resources at any time and from any location, making it possible for them to learn at their own pace. Additionally, the metaverse is making education more engaging and enjoyable.

  • Gamification: Gamification involves using game-like elements, such as rewards, badges, and leaderboards, to motivate and engage students in earning. This technology can help students stay engaged and motivated while they learn, making education more fun and exciting.
  • Gamification can also help teachers and administrators track student progress and identify areas where students may be struggling. It is particularly effective for teaching STEM subjects, where concepts can be abstract and difficult to grasp.
  • Learning Management Systems (LMS): Learning Management Systems (LMS) are software applications that help teachers and administrators manage and deliver educational content. LMS can be used to create and deliver online courses, manage student progress and assessment, and track student performance. LMS can also help facilitate communication between teachers, students, and parents, making it easier to provide feedback and support. They can be used to provide access to a range of resources such as videos, online libraries, and interactive learning tools.
  • Blockchain: Blockchain technology has the potential to transform the way we store and verify educational credentials. With blockchain, educational records can be stored in a secure and decentralized system that is accessible to students, employers, and educational institutions. This technology can help students maintain ownership of their credentials, making it easier for them to share their educational achievements with potential employers or educational institutions. It can also help prevent fraud and ensure the integrity of educational credentials.

This is not all! There is a vast scope to leverage tech-drievn innovations in the education sector. From personalised learning to immersive simulations, new-age technologies have the potential to create more engaging and effective learning experiences for students around the world. It will be exciting to see how they will continue to shape the future of education.

International Collaborations: A much needed next in education

Entire world is One – “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’- in short one world and one family. International collaborations are not just beneficial for one nation but a lot and the entire poplucae of the countries involved. Recently, The University of Virginia has inaugurated a new partnership with Jindal Global University (JGU) – to provide a significant new platform for student and scholar exchange, joint research on topics of global importance such as democracy and environmental sustainability, and a general expansion of UVA’s engagement in India. Also, Australian PM Anthony Albanese announced that they have finalised Australia-India Education Qualification Recognition Mechanism which means that if you are an Indian student who is studying or have studied in Australia, your hard-earned degree will be recognised when you return home. Or if you are a member of Australia’s very large Indian community — 500,000 and growing — you will feel more confident that your Indian qualification will be recognised in Australia. Now, the time has come when you no longer want to go abroad to study, world will be one and the opportunities will be open for all at their own home spaces.

Earlier, India also announced that we are open for foreign varisties to open campuses in India.

As a result, Australia’s Deakin University will be the first foreign tertiary education institution in the world to establish a campus in India as the Albanese government ramps up prospects in the rapidly developing sector.

Harshita Sharma, Founder & Director, Brainstorm International shared, “Education should be seen in the broader context of community, economy and development with global collaborations. Pedagogic research is an ongoing process to upskill and uplift educators globally to improve teaching learning experiences with collaboration in education. We can keep up with the rapidly evolving ecosystem and focus on keeping education relevant ,responsible and responsive by raising global leaders who thrive on innovation and creativity. With the adaptation and testing of new techniques that can supplement their areas of expertise, global collaboration helps teachers improve their practises and leaders to enhance their professional skills.”

Dr. Ankur Jain, Director, Vanasthali Public School shared, “International student collaboration at an early age helps to promote and revitalise local communities. It is a turning point for the student as it increases interaction between two universities and leads to the improvement in the quality of children.

Children get exposure and opportunities to group problems from multiple perspectives. It also promotes Science and technology development and helps to create global leaders the primary stage of collaboration provides evidence through advocacy and communication on enhancement.”

India – Dubai collaboration: A wave of education partnership

India’s extended neighborhood with the UAE has gained strategic importance due to its geostrategic location, availability of adequate energy resources, home to a significant number of Indians, as well as an important source of remittances to India, and growing prospects for social sectors such as education and health, shared Dr. Vishal Arora, Associate Director, International Admissions, JAIN (Deemed-to-beUniversity).

The UAE’s education market is currently expanding globally, characterised by rising student enrollments, a growing interest in education sector privatisation, and support for government efforts. The global education market size in UAE is estimated to increase by $718 million. The market’s growth momentum will progress at a CAGR of 5.03 per cent. Also, UAE Private K12 Education Market is poised to grow at a CAGR of 5 per cent by 2027.

With the vision to explore future-ready innovations and strengthen collaborative environment, Elets Technomedia is bringing top education leaders and experts from Asia and the Middle East for exchnage of ideas, and best practices at the 25th Elets World Education Summit (WES) on 20-21 March in Dubai.

A lot of our speakers have commented on international collaborations and how WES is helping in doing so. Here is a quick glance:

Nirmal Singh Founder & CEO, Wheebox

“I believe that conferences like such bring together the brightest minds in the field of education to unlock fresh strategies and foster new approaches to building a future-ready education ecosystem. This can lead to the development of policies and initiatives that can benefit students, teachers, and educational institutions globally. Our mission for 2024 is to study the impact of Artificial Intelligence on the Future of Education, Work and Mobility. The summit will give us the opportunity to explore innovative technologies, methodologies, and best practices that can help in transformation.” “I strongly believe that the World Education Summit 2023 can serve as a catalyst for change and inspire stakeholders to work towards creating a better future for education.”

Dr Madhuri Sawant Founder & MD, Barinqaurtz

“I commend the work that the organisers of the World Education Summit 2023 are doing. Conferences such as this facilitate these exchanges of ideas & best practices through both presentations (one-to-many) and networking (one-on-one).”

Today we are at the intersection of multiple global megatrends: ubiquitous connectivity, high-value use cases such as digital payments, remote work/remote education, misinformation, and climate change. The exchange of ideas and best practices, ideally in an in-person setting, helps educators, technologists, businesspeople, and policymakers from around the world drive higher standards in their respective spheres and as a result for the whole world. Globally, there is no uniformity in education systems, every country follows its own style of school education system. Such platforms and conferences could bring uniformity and best practices and ideas which could be adapted globally to standardise school education system.”

Gunjan Pandita Khashu CEO, Accuracy

“Such conferences can help bring together stakeholders from different backgrounds and regions to share knowledge, collaborate on solutions, and promote policies and practices that can improve education outcomes at a global level. Through this event, we look forward to having a unified platform to convey our message to our target audience.”

Harshita Sharma Founder & Director Brainstorm International

“Global summits like the World Education Summit give the experience of a lifetime and bring together innovation, best pedagogies, and new edge technology under one roof for transforming the education eco-system.

It opens doors to the idea of unlearning to re-learn and make a difference in the life of students globally. Decoding International education, connecting with all stakeholders and brainstorming on transforming teaching-learning processes to be well prepared to deal with the challenges of the 21st century to evolve and revamp in perfect tandem with changing times to innovate design thinking solutions. This will definitely bring new innovations and development to the landscape of education in India.”

Dr. Sheela Menon Principal, Ambassador School, Dubai

“Meeting people from the same industry but from different places of the world always is a route towards positive changes and growth. Knowing some of the best minds and learning and sharing from each other helps to find solutions to some of the raging concerns which are global phenomenon.

UAE’S education – The academic mobility making it a global education leader

By
Sheeba Chauhan, Senior Sub Editor
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elets dubai

The United Arab Emirates is largely blooming as a global education hub and it’s quite evident in the numbers. The global education market size in UAE is estimated to increase by USD 718 million. The market’s growth momentum will progress at a CAGR of 5.03 per cent. The adoption of key trends in the education sector right from digitisation of classroom learning to technology-based approach to training in soft skills – UAE is traveling the extra mile to get it all right.

In recent years, the focus has shifted towards pre-schooling or early childhood education which was not a set practice in traditional UAE education. By emphasising the importance of education, the UAE government is reforming all the traditional practices. Almost 93 per cent of the UAE’s population has access to the internet which is making the UAE’s education market robust in the digital education landscape. The pandemic in 2020 also pushed online education to a great extent across the country. The UAE e-learning market is expected to expand to US $7.1 billion in 2023 from less than US $2 million in 2017, according to the UAE Ministry of Economy. The online e-learning segment, along with the virtual classroom segment, holds nearly 70 per cent of the market share in the region. The government is aiming for creating an ecosystem that is inclusive for all and digitisation, online learning, or e-learning can make this happen.

The UAE government is making it bigger and better with various moves to become the global hub for education. India and UAE are all set to sign an MOU in the field of education to facilitate academic collaboration between higher education institutions in both countries to offer twinning, joint degree, and dual degree programmes. The new bilateral pact will promote mutual recognition, enhanced academic participation, and collaboration between countries. Such collaborations will make it speed up their objective to become a global educational hub.

Making it a global education hub

The aim to become a global hub requires rigorous work in the education sector. The Ministry of Education announced a strategy for the span of 2010-2020 with overall objectives to chalk out the major faults in the UAE’s education system. The strategy was aimed at reducing the major dropouts from higher education, ensuring high-quality curriculum, excellent teaching methods, high-quality education accessible to all, a learning environment and tools, and to enhance and uplift the quality, equality, and accessibility to quality education.

Many universities are aiming to set up campuses in the most modern city of UAE – Dubai, and that is not just because of its ultramodernity or its glitz, or its stunning skyline, Dubai has genuinely emerged as a top destination of the world in the recent years. According to a report by CNBC, during 2021-22, 1.64 akh Indian students headed to UAE for higher education. While the number might not be as high as for the USA (4.65 lahks), it is close to Canada’s (1.83 lakhs) and more than Australia’s (1.09 lakh).

Besides being a financial hub, UAE’s leaders are striving for making it a educational hub globally, and a similar vision came out through a two-day conclave named, ‘Schools for the Future’, which was organised by Kyra Global, a company founded in Dubai by veteran Indian publisher KPR Nair, in partnership with The American University in the Emirates (AUE), one of Dubai’s premier universities. During the conclave, Tadu Mamu, Consul (Press Information, Culture and Labour) of the Indian Embassy, said India will be happy to be a partner with the UAE in its efforts to make the Emirates a global educational hub. Last year, an MoU was also signed on the academic front for an enhancement collaboration on global education. There were also talks on establishing India’s premium higher education institute IIT (Indian Institute of Technology) in Dubai.

The latest reforms to empower the future generation

UAE is striving to become a knowledge economy, despite having a humongous economy through its oil resources. The reforms in education will make the students think, question, and make the technological leap that is much required when everything is driven by technology. Sara Al Amiri, who guided the UAE’s space and Mars missions, was made Minister of State for Public Education and Future Technology to assist the sector on the technological edge. The responsibilities of the Ministry of Education will include developing policies, strategies, and legislation, as per the new structure.

The reformed national curriculum will include the Arabic language, Islamic education, moral education, and social studies while the international curriculum will include mathematics, science, and others.

The government is eager to make the education system bigger and better. Early childhood development is the key focus of the government, and they have also announced free early education for Emirati students. The government is also emphasising quality education with zero tuition fees for enhancing accessibility and equality for all. With these reforms, a new template for education is being laid for UAE and from now, it will keep moving towards a growing pace.

The buzz in UAE’s education

The latest trends are driving each and every industry, and technology is the only catalyst. With the emergence of technology, the education ecosystem has taken a newer shape across the world. UAE is leading the way towards the adoption in a much faster way and is all set to revamp the trends as per the adoption of technology.

Trends in higher education- As education is at the cusp of massive transformation, the higher education segment is poised to get the most attention. A few of the trends that get much traction during the transactional phase are:

  • Skill-based and experienced learning for all
  • Synchronous and blended learning
  • Personalisation and digitisation of learning
  • Integration of the curriculum with occupational certificates

Digitisation – The UAE’s rapid advancement of modern technologies and educational trends has increased the value of education. The way that general education is taught and how learning courses are provided, both have been substantially changed by e-learning. The digitisation of education transformed the walls of the classroom, and teaching is now more learner-centric with various technology tools.

School education – Parents are choosing to focus more on soft skills and voted for a grand focus on STEM subjects in classrooms and curriculum. Another trend that erupted in recent times in school education is an enhanced emphasis on mental health concerns. According to a report by Fortune, three out of five (60 per cent) students suffer from mental health issues across the world. The issues vary from depression to anxiety and it is disheartening that only 48 per cent of them got diagnosed properly and got treatment. So, schools and higher institutions need to focus majorly on mental health issues.

Hybrid learning, learner-centric approach to teaching, computerised-based learning, and technology-based approaches are the newest trends transforming the school education system throughout.

The major market holding in education

The UAE’s education market is currently expanding globally. This suggests that the market under consideration is characterised by rising student enrollments, a growing interest in education sector privatisation, and support for government efforts. The global education market size in UAE is estimated to increase by $718 million. The market’s growth momentum will progress at a CAGR of 5.03 per cent. Also, UAE Private K12 Education Market is poised to grow at a CAGR of 5 per cent by 2027.

Over 2,84,000 students enrolled in private secondary schools last year. In order to increase the enrollment of new students, many private institutions give discounts to encourage students. The Knowledge and Human Development Authority in Dubai also restricted the rise of tuition fees, during the academic year 2022-23. Such encouragement from the government is enhancing the growth and pace of the education industry in the UAE.

As per PWC: education sector in the Middle East report, the quality of the UAE’s primary and higher education systems ranks among the top 20 globally. UAE has some of the best educational institutions both in the higher and school education segments. It is reported that the annual revenue being generated by schools in Dubai is AED 8.45 billion and Dubai hosts over 60 globally respected international university campuses – the largest number anywhere in the world.

 

AI to make nutrition assessment of tribal students in Maharashtra School

By
digitalLEARNING Network
-
Maharashtra School

AI is gradually replacing human intervention in all fields but what if we told you that artificial intelligence (AI) is now able to guarantee the quality of food and the amount of nutrition?

Todsa Ashram School in Etapalli, Maharashtra, recently installed an AI-based system to raise the nutritional status of Gadchiroli tribal children.

In terms of how this technology functions, it takes a photo of the student holding their plate of food and determines in a matter of seconds, without the aid of a person, whether the meal is of good quality.

This technology will prove useful, especially when it comes to government schools’ midday meals, which are sometimes overlooked due to their subpar quality.

The administration reportedly took the initiative as part of Project Bhamragad, and eight government schools are a part of it.

”There are eight government schools included in Project Bhamragad. I used to think the girls at this all-girls Ashram School were malnourished when I visited. A preliminary BMI analysis revealed that 61 of the 222 girls were underweight. Three meals are served here daily: breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The food is served in a sufficient quantity, and we adhere to the menu as well. Shubham Gupta, Assistant Collector of Etapalli and Project Director of Integrated Tribal Development Project, explained about the device”, So, we wanted to determine the cause.

He continued by saying that the administration had made contact with an NGO that collaborated with a start-up.

“We brought this machine created by them. This device is powered by artificial intelligence. We have attempted to improve both the amount and quality of meals through the use of this gadget. Headmaster and I have access to the information gathered here. So far, one of the eight Ashram Schools has had it installed. The outcomes are quite encouraging. In September 2022, we put it in place. Since then, both the quality of the food and the BMI of youngsters have improved,” he added.

According to UNICEF India research, 40% of Indian tribal children under the age of five are malnourished, and 16% of them are severely stunted.

Due to a lack of food and resources, tribal children experience greater rates of undernutrition than children from socially and economically affluent backgrounds.

Innovation – A driving force for sustainable economic growth: Prof. Rao Bhamidimarri, President, Institute of Advanced Research

By
digitalLEARNING Network
-
Prof. Rao Bhamidimarri

Prof. Rao Bhamidimarri, President, Institute of Advanced Research (IAR), Gujarat, India shared, “Recently, there has been a lot of talk about innovation, but it is important to clarify what exactly we mean by this term. When we talk about “industry,” it is not a single entity, but rather many different industries that make up the economy, such as the sheet metal industry, the machine shop industry, and the rocket and space station industry. Innovation is the driving force for sustained economic growth, as evidenced by Japan, which became an industry powerhouse through innovation after being completely destroyed in the war. Innovation requires ongoing thinking, creativity, exploration, and out-of-the-box thinking.”

“Innovation mainly takes place in industries, such as Nestle, Fisa, and Novartis, but universities can play a role in accelerating the process by creating the human capital necessary to undertake innovative processes. However, universities and educational institutions have been poor at catalyzing innovation in the service sector. The big four consulting firms, such as Deloitte and PwC, are leading the way in innovation in the service sector”, he added.

“Innovation comes in different forms and is driven by different factors, such as need-driven innovation and crisis-driven innovation, such as the rapid development of vaccines during the COVID-19 pandemic. Different types of innovation are required for different problems, such as semiconductors and advanced computer chips, fusion energy, and artificial intelligence for diagnosing dementia. The role of universities and higher education institutes is not just to prepare students for jobs, but to create human capital that can undertake innovative processes in industry and business. The educational objective is not to prepare students immediately to fit into a job, but to bridge the gap between theory and practical application, so that students can apply their knowledge in innovative ways to solve real-world problems”, he concluded.

Edtech unicorn PhysicsWallah intends to invest $10 Mn in Vidyapeeth – its offline vertical

By
digitalLEARNING Network
-
Physics Wallah acquires UAE-Based startup knowledge planet

According to reports, Edtech unicorn PhysicsWallah intends to invest $10 Mn (INR 82 Cr) over several instalments in its offline tutoring division Vidyapeeth School.

According to Imran Rashid, vice president of PhysicsWallah (PW), the edtech company would invest $5 Mn in the first phase to put up the infrastructure for its school-integrated course. The remaining $5 million will then be used for content creation, pedagogy development, and academic school improvement.

The company plans to invest 8–10 lakh rupees to set up the necessary infrastructure in each of these schools. By 2025–2026, PW hopes to reach 300 schools in Tier III and Tier IV cities and towns with its Vidyapeeth plan thanks to this capital infusion.

In order to capitalise on the growing physical tutoring centre concept and PW’s renewed focus on its offline vertical, the company made this decision. According to the Vidyapeeth concept, PW collaborates with current schools and offers regular classroom instruction along with tutoring for the CBSE exams and other competitive exams like the NEET and JEE.

By using technology to provide the edtech concept to the students, PW was founded in 2020 by Alakh Pandey and Prateek Maheshwari. PW primarily serves students studying for engineering and medical entrance exams.

With the introduction of Vidyapeeth Schools last year, the firm entered the offline market. Since then, it has expanded its offering to 39 schools across 34 districts in 10 states, including Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Uttarakhand, Bihar, and Assam.

The business is reportedly in talks to raise at least $250 Mn at a valuation of $3.3 Bn, up roughly 3X from its previously reported valuation of $1.1 Bn from last year, after raising a massive $100 Mn in funding last year.

The edtech platform has been plagued by a number of worries recently, including the loss of star teachers and a damaged reputation as a result of a public altercation involving an edtech company and certain teachers. The fierce competition PW faces from established players like BYJU’S and Unacademy in both the internet and physical spaces has complicated issues.

World Earth Day: Doodling greener facts to ‘Invest in our Planet’

By
Sheeba Chauhan, Senior Sub Editor
-
World Earth Day

“Invest in our Planet” – This year’s theme of World Earth Day is apt according to our
mother Earth’s conditions, it’s high time that we invest in our planet and make it a better
home for our future generation— Remember, there is no planet B. Today, as much as we
are planning to become a sustainable ecosystem, we are somehow lagging far behind.
This year’s theme tries to focus on measures that are eco-friendly, with a sharp emphasis
on reducing carbon footprints and promoting green initiatives and at the same time,
conserving the energy that we have by using it in a sustainable way.

The promotion of sustainable development and the raising of awareness about ecological
issues are crucial goals that can be effectively achieved through environmental education.
With the advent of digital technology, access to information has been revolutionized, and
digital libraries have emerged as a key resource in supporting this education. By
providing convenient access to a vast repository of resources, including scientific
publications, research papers, and multimedia content, these libraries encourage
engagement and critical thinking, making them an invaluable tool for promoting
environmental education.

Digital Libraries are a significant effort towards making this planet a sustainable one. In
digital libraries, we have a diverse range of books and information that too with
minimum damage to the environment, more specifically trees which are the primary
source of making a piece of paper. According to a report by UNESCO, Digital libraries
have been credited with enhancing education for sustainable development (ESD).

Though the revolutionising technologies are creating a lot of innovations in education
sector, at the same time there are reports which show the dark side of using the
technology. Interestingly, the buzzing word ChatGPT – the latest application of AI and
NLP is not only turning pages for a lot of job opportunity, it is adding a different chapter
to the resources we have for our future generation. The University of California Riverside
and the University of Texas Arlington have released a paper titled “Making AI Less
Thirsty”; that examines the environmental impact of AI training. The study highlights the
substantial amount of electricity and water required to cool data centers. The researchers
specifically focused on companies like OpenAI and Google, and their data processing
centers. The findings reveal that Microsoft, which is partnered with OpenAI, consumed a
staggering 185,000 gallons of water during the training of GPT-3 alone.

In today’s world where sustainability is a major goal, it is crucial to invest wisely in
every step. We have One Earth and We are going to have only one in future as well. We
need to think and use practices which conserve energy, and reduce carbon footprints just
like the use of digital libraries and have to stop using resources which are hazardous and
causing an alarming situation for mother earth. Let’s pledge to act wisely and conserve
our Planet Earth on this ‘ World Earth Day’.

BYJU’S to raise $400-600 Mn from 10X AD and Apollo Global Management

By
digitalLEARNING Network
-
BYJU’S to raise $400-600 Mn

According to reports, the edtech decacorn BYJU’S is in discussions to raise between $400 million and $600 million with the US-based Apollo Global Management and the Abu Dhabi-based fund 10X AD.

If the deal is approved, 10X AD could invest $150–200 Mn in either the parent business Think and Learn Private Ltd. of BYJU or a subsidiary called Aakash Education Services. The edtech leader, on the other hand, has also contacted Apollo Global to request a $200–250 Mn structured finance for Aakash.

Sources claim that 10X AD is considering both alternatives, including leading an investor consortium and going it alone. In addition, the Abu Dhabi-based fund has requested guaranteed internal rates of return (IRRs), select options, and preference rights as “downside protection” in the deal.

The late-stage tech-focused fund is known to bring in other investors and organisations, like ADQ, to shore up the pool size, though it typically invests between $30 and $50 million on its own. A few more local small investment groups may potentially participate in the deal.

According to the reports, Disrupt AD, the venture capital arm of ADQ, is considering increasing its initial interest in the leading provider of edtech and may participate in the fundraising.

For its subsidiary Aakash, BYJU’S has additionally asked Apollo Global for funding. A preferred instrument with a fixed, previously agreed-upon IRR and downside protection may be used to make this $200–250 million investment, or it could occur at a discount to the following round.

It’s interesting to note that the PE company rejected BYJU’s earlier attempt to obtain funding from Apollo Global.

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