G20 meet will serve as a crucial platform to boost education sector: CM Mann

Government News

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March 17, 2023

Bhagwant Mann, the Chief Minister of Punjab, said that the G20 meeting on education in this city will serve as a crucial forum for obtaining crucial advice from knowledgeable nations to advance the industry in general and the state in particular.

Speaking to the gathering during the second G20 Education Working Group meeting, the chief minister expressed his firm belief that the discussions held here will not only raise the bar for education but also greatly help the state’s youth. According to a Punjab government statement, he also expressed hope that the G20’s attempts to address important problems relating to the global economy will significantly boost the nation’s and the state’s economic growth. Mann also praised the G20’s concerted efforts to foster an atmosphere of peace, understanding, and international collaboration.

He said and thanked the Center for choosing the holy city to host two sessions on education and labour, adding that the Indian government truly merits praise for hosting the massive event in this country of great gurus, saints, and seers.

Before Partition, the city was a significant hub for commerce, Mann recalled, and the government is working hard to reestablish it as such. According to him, a number of reputable businesses have expressed a strong desire to establish operations in Amritsar. Amritsar and other Indian cities are hosting a number of activities as part of their G20 presidency.

Ambedkar University to set up 2 new campuses

Higher Education

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digitalLEARNING Network

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March 16, 2023

According to Education Minister Atishi, the Delhi government has prioritized re-conceptualizing technical colleges and is creating two new campuses of the Ambedkar University to increase the number of seats.

Instructing staff to create an action plan for the growth and modernization of all Delhi government-run universities and technical education institutions, the minister reviewed projects for higher education.

“In Delhi, 2.5 lakh children pass out of class 12. But despite having talent and ability, only one lakh of these children get admission in any university. Taking cognisance of this, the Delhi government started increasing the capacity of its universities,” Atishi said.

She also instructed officials to speed up the building of the Ambedkar University campuses in Rohini and Dheerpur, claiming that they would meet all of the students’ academic requirements.

The minister said, “The Delhi government is working with a vision of changing the country through education. After the Dheerpur and Rohini campuses of the university are ready, more than 26,000 students will be able to get admission here.”

Both campuses will have multiple-story academic buildings, a conference center, a health center, an auditorium, a library, an amphitheater, a guest house, and separate dorms for boys and girls. There will also be housing units built.

According to Atishi, the Industrial Training Institute (ITI) Shahdara will build two cutting-edge academic buildings to accommodate 10,000 students.

There are a total of 11,000 seats in the current 19 ITIs of the Delhi government, where more than 30,000 applications are received every year, according to the Directorate of Education.

Ashoka University launches Ashoka Centre for a People-centric Energy Transition

Higher Education

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digitalLEARNING Network

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March 15, 2023

Ashoka University announced today the launch of Ashoka Centre for a People-centric Energy Transition (ACPET), will assist India and the Global South’s efforts to achieve net-zero energy consumption while also advancing economic growth and energy security.

A draft of India’s integrated Energy Policy is the Center’s first initiative. Additionally, it will give top priority to initiatives in fields such as Energy Efficiency and Conservation, which includes behavioural change, Governance of the Energy Sector, Cooling Technologies, Carbon Markets, Hydrogen Economy, and Electric Mobility. The Centre will collaborate with the Indian government and business to develop models and insights that can help India achieve its goals for clean growth. Additionally, it will provide executive, postgraduate, and undergraduate classes.

Mahua Acharya, first interim Director ACPET and former MD & CEO, Convergence Energy Services Limited of the Government of India said, “India’s energy needs are only going up. Electric mobility is picking up. We are discussing the creation of a domestic carbon market. Ambitions around the use of hydrogen are high. India’s energy sector is currently undergoing a transition. And of course, job creation and economic growth remain priority. Managing this well will benefit from a Centre that thinks in an integrated way, is centered around people and economic growth, and benefits from a two-way dialogue with the market and Government. I am grateful to have worked with a small team of very committed people and of course the founders of Ashoka University to get us to this stage; and I remain committed to setting this up and getting the Centre on the road.”

“We are pleased to be financially supporting the creation of this institution. The country needs it and there is no better institution than Ashoka University to host it,” said Saurabh Kumar, India Head of the Global Energy Alliance for People and the Planet.

Pramath Raj Sinha, Founder and Chairperson, Board of Trustees at Ashoka University said, “Energy transition is a complex issue, requiring a look into economic growth in a manner that is sustainable, without compromising the needs of the most vulnerable sections of our society. At Ashoka, we are resolutely committed to supporting India and the Global South in traversing this journey towards ‘net-zero’, in ways that are both just and equitable. This will require well-informed insights and innovations in the fields of technology, business and policy making. The launch of ACPET is an important step in this direction, it will act as a ‘go-to’ knowledge centre for informing best practices that we can adopt as a society.”

Speaking about the overall approach, Somak Raychaudhury, Vice Chancellor, Ashoka University said, “At Ashoka, we have always taken an inter-disciplinary approach to thinking about complex problems of our society, including the challenge of addressing the impacts of climate change. In the context of energy transition, this particularly requires formulating solutions that are ‘people-centric’, ideas that weigh-in the interests and needs of all stakeholders. ACPET will bring this to fruition by having a fulcrum of world-class faculty and practitioners from the fields of natural and social sciences; a collaborative approach; and a commitment to producing cutting edge research.”

ACPET will have three research verticals–

1) Decarbonisation: Identifying near and middle-term opportunities to decarbonise India’s economy, especially supporting the creation of new manufacturing capacity in a sustainable manner.

2) Net Zero Energy Future: Develop a vision for a Net Zero sustainable society, in line with India’s vision and the Lifestyle for Environment (LiFE) principles.

3) Energy Finance: Identify methods to bring in domestic and international capital into Indian economic sectors.

LEAD acquires Pearson’s local K-12 learning business in India; expands reach to 5 million students

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March 15, 2023

The local K-12 learning division of Pearson India has been acquired by LEAD. With the largest portfolio of School Edtech products and services to better meet the educational requirements of India’s 5 lakh+ private schools, the acquisition is a strategic investment for LEAD. With this acquisition, LEAD has widened its reach to enhance learning outcomes in 9000+ schools across India.

Sumeet Mehta, Co-Founder and CEO, LEAD, said, “Different school segments in India have very different learning needs. With this acquisition, LEAD aims to serve as a single-point solution provider for all the learning needs of both affordable private schools in India’s small towns, as well as private high-fee schools in its metros and large cities. We will build on the combined knowledge, experience, and team strengths of both companies to create opportunities for growth and innovation, and to further deepen relationships with our school partners.”

Following Covid, the development aspirations of school owners and other ecosystem stakeholders, as well as forward-thinking policy initiatives like NEP 2020, are expected to propel the growth of the school edtech sector. LEAD is dedicated to enhancing learning outcomes by transforming classrooms all over India. LEAD is the country’s top provider of school edtech. The purchase of Pearson India’s local K-12 learning company will expedite LEAD’s goal of delivering high-quality, integrated school edtech solutions to over 60,000 schools in India by 2026. The merger was authorised by the boards of Directors of both businesses in January 2023, and EY served as LEAD’s exclusive financial advisor.

In January 2023, LEAD raised approximately Rs. 160 crores through a mix of long-term funding from India’s top venture debt investors, Alteria Capital and Stride Ventures, and working capital financing from prominent banks like Standard Chartered Bank, HDFC Bank, and ICICI Bank. The new round of funding will aid in financing LEAD’s plans for both organic and inorganic growth since the path to profitability for its core business—Affordable Private Schools—has already been established through existing capital.

Quality education is more than gross enrollment ratios: Dr. R. Balaji, SBOA School & Junior College

Interviews

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March 15, 2023

Pre-primary education must be given top priority by the government. It is essential to design flexible, play based foundational curriculum. For this, a teacher educational curriculum should be developed to train teachers appropriately, shares Dr. R. Balaji, Secretary & Correspondent, SBOA School & Junior College, Chennai with Srajan Agarwal of Elets News Network (ENN). Edited excerpts:

Union Budget 2023 focused on revamping teacher training. How do you support the move and what are your plans for implementing training at your school?

In my opinion, change is a growth requirement, and so I agree with the revamping of teacher training. Students should be provided with the best possible learning experience and for that teachers have to adapt and find newer ways to meet the changing needs.

As far as our school is concerned I feel teachers should be trained to adapt the changing dynamics of education trends. They should be provided with continuous development programmes that will enable them to stay abreast on new methods of teaching skill development techniques, and to map student’s learning and academic process. The use of podcast videos gamification and flipped classrooms offer more scope for discussions and interventions and therefore teachers need to be trained to use such practical approaches too. Training teachers to plan their lessons incorporating ICT (Information and Communication Technology) tools to boost creativity, collaboration and effective learning will be implemented. Learning with fun and effective tools like quizzes, game based learning – building lessons and activities based on games which would facilitate learning with motivation and fun which is the need of the hour and therefore features should up skill themselves in order to teach skill based and competency based learning curriculum.

Recently, the Education Minister launched the Yuva Sangam portal which will concentrate on organising youth-exposure tours for students from North Eastern States to other states and vice versa. How do you think such initiatives are going to develop multicultural education in Indian students?

Multicultural education seeks to create equal educational opportunities for all students. It changes the total school environment. Multicultural education is a reform to give equal educational opportunities irrespective of race, social class, ethnic groups and gender. It enables the students to know more about their own and others’ history, culture and art. It will bring immense exposure and opportunities for knowledge exchanges and enhance their mutual understanding. It will encourage cooperative social skills among students. Multicultural education will expose students to various cultural and social groups preparing students to become better citizens in their communities. It will enable students to maintain a good relation with students of different ethnic groups. Moreover, in a country like ours where we are bound to “Unity in Diversity”, if students are exposed to diversity and have multicultural education, they get better prepared for a diverse workplace and it allows them to interact in a wider range of social groups and feel more confident in themselves as well as in their interaction with others.

NCERT issues guidelines for ‘Early identification and intervention for mental health problems in school-going children and adolescents. How are you planning to work on the same at your school?

Schools play an important role in creating an optimistic community that enhances a sense of connection and belonging among students. Mental health problems can be resolved by the following ways:

Mental health education can be integrated into academics.
Seek school counsellors help.
Mental health building tools can be incorporated, such as mindfulness, relaxation techniques, art etc
By providing mental health and well-being tips in the morning assembly.
Appropriate training to be given to educators so that they can identify and respond to signs of mental health issues.
To take up physical exercise, meditation, yoga, hobbies etc
To raise awareness about mental health.
Encourage to eat healthy and stay fit.
Importance of mental health will be taught by involving students in activities like poster making or painting.
To develop healthy relationships and the ability to work cooperatively with others.
Special programmes can be organised by the school Counsellors for teenagers in school.

According to the economic survey 2022-23, enrollment at the pre-primary level decreased from 1.1 crores [11 million] in 2021 to 1.0 crores [10 million] in 2022. Your comments on the same.

Pre-primary education must be given top priority by the government. It is essential to design flexible, play based foundational curriculum. For this, a teacher educational curriculum should be developed to train teachers appropriately. I feel lack of awareness, illiteracy among parents and poverty are the basic reasons for the low enrollment at the pre-primary level adding to the problems of closure of schools due to the pandemic. Steps should be taken to make education affordable. Day care centres should be integrated with kindergartens to create a more cohesive system.

Schools at all levels showed an improvement in their gross enrollment ratios (GER) for the fiscal year 2021–22. Do you think the mere improvement in GER will enhance the quality of education?

No, I disagree with the statement. In my opinion quality of education depends on a good curriculum, advanced educational learning materials, proper infrastructure, trained teachers, appropriate assessment of the child’s learning, boosting their self-esteem and preparing them for life. Quality of education is enhanced by the physical, social, mental, emotional development of every student irrespective of their gender, ethnicity, status, race etc.

With the crashed job market across the world, how are you going to train your students to be competent citizens in the outside world? Do you think ‘Becoming job providers, instead of job seekers’ will improve the unemployability rate in India?

To become competent citizens here are a few suggestions:

Students should be equipped with the first century skills such as critical thinking, creativity collaboration and communication.
Extra-curricular activities should be given importance in order to get transferable skills that can be applied in the workforce.
Entrepreneurship should be encouraged.
No, in my opinion job providers do not increase unemployability rate in India in fact they decrease it.
Employment rates can be improved through the following ways:
MNC and establishment of domestic industries increases job opportunities and also improves the standard of living.
Technology enabled job profiles provides opportunities to more young professionals.
Tourism sector also provides employment to many people.

Under the PM – Yojana “Skill India Mission,” the Indian government AIMS to develop practical skills, which are required by the industry. Unemployability rate has dropped drastically since its implementation.

ASCI intends to amend its guidelines for education advertisements

News

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March 14, 2023

The Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) intends to alter its current “Guidelines for Advertising of Educational Institutions, Programmes and Platforms” document with the aim of ensuring that advertising in the education sector won’t jeopardise students’ wellbeing. All institutions, including colleges, coaching sessions, and edtech platforms, will be governed by the updated guidelines.

The physical and mental health of young students has been taken into consideration when creating the proposed amendment. F for instance, advertising must refrain from portraying average students or those with low test scores as demotivated, unhappy, or getting less praise from peers, parents, or teachers. Additionally, ASCI urges that students who receive bad grades not be portrayed as failures and that stereotypes based on gender or appearance be avoided. The ASCI code will be broken if there is a false sense of urgency or dread of missing out that might increase parental or student concerns about education. Brands are encouraged to avoid linking particular subjects with particular genders, even though it is not required to feature students of any particular gender.

The current ASCI code for education advertisements mandates that all promises and claims be supported by evidence and forbids companies from making deceptive claims.

But in 2022–2023, the education sector—which was responsible for 27% of the objectionable advertisements that the industry authority had to deal with—was the worst offender of the ASCI code. 22% of these came from conventional educational firms, and 5% came from edtech businesses.

A study by ASCI called EdNext on advertising in the edtech sector was published in January of this year and showed a number of issues. For instance, 73% of the parents surveyed felt that edtech companies’ advertising portrays too much scholastic pressure.

Manisha Kapoor, CEO and Secretary General at ASCI, said the guidelines are being updated on the back of the report’s findings.

“The new clauses are about recognising that education advertising impacts the minds of parents and growing children. Therefore, in addition to complying with the existing ASCI codes that mandate honest claims, advertisers should endeavour to make sure that ads are not harmful. The EdNext study and our conversation with various stakeholders such as academicians, consumers, institutes and the advertising industry have paved the way for the additional guidelines to come in,” said Kapoor.

“Technology is merely an augmentation to a teacher”: Baseema Anayat, Shah Rasool Memorial Welkin Higher Secondary School

Interviews

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digitalLEARNING Network

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March 14, 2023

“We cannot deny the fact that Artificial Intelligence is taking over different sectors, so education is not an exception. Let’s be optimistic and expect it stands as a positive development in the educational sector”, shared Baseema Anayat, Vice Chairperson, Shah Rasool Memorial Welkin Higher Secondary School, Sopore, Jammu And Kashmir in an exclusive interview with Sheeba Chauhan of Elets News Network. Edited excerpts:

Recently, the government of India emphasised the importance of the native language for better understanding. What are your thoughts on this? Do you plan to incorporate the same at your school in near future?

History and culture are inherent in a language. Learning the native language signifies learning the same history and culture of your parents, relatives, and even the generations before and after. So, it is fine if you want your children to stay connected with their origin.

What are your thoughts on the usage of AI tools like ChatGPT, Bard etc for creating content and various other uses? Do you think it will hamper the quality of education in the long run?

We cannot deny the fact that Artificial Intelligence is taking over different sectors, so education is not an exception. Let’s be optimistic and expect it stands as a positive development in the educational sector. AI hampering the quality of education in the long run –we must not forget that we are taking it only as a facility not as a replacement. Technology is merely an augmentation to a teacher. It can help the process of learning. While technology will not replace teachers, teachers who use technology will replace those who do not.

India’s G20 presidency is not a mere event. It imbibes the concept of creating global citizens and is fundamental to developing the world order and our education and skills ecosystem has a vital role in this. Your comments

Any international event that is held in the country is an honour and at the same time significant on many fronts. Our department has already launched a massive awareness programme. Activities are conducted across schools, which include Quiz programs, debates, and discussions. The activities are designed to increase awareness about G-20 and its significance under India’s presidency.

The emerging edtech has gained immense success in the education space but the ride has seen many bumps in between. How do you see the changing landscape of the edtech industry and will it impact the school education ecosystem?

If we look at our education system pre and post-COVID, we find a drastic change. A change is something that one cannot avoid. Like every industry, education too is going through a digital transformation. Now its impact on school systems, any technology that is introduced, will only facilitate us.

Besides, the traditional education system, edtech is here to stay a long. We can use the technology to provide students with a personalized learning process according to edtech’s ability.

How is your school planning to enhance quality education using the technologies like artificial intelligence, machine learning, etc.?

You know these days imparting quality education is impossible without employing the technologies. So far as our school is concerned, we have always been striving and toiling hard to keep pace with the institutions which are fully equipped with modern technologies. At Welkin, we have a fully equipped computer lab and different science labs besides a sophisticated Artificial Intelligence lab. All the labs are functional and students are benefiting a lot from these labs. In near future, we are installing Interactive Panel almost in all the classrooms of the school. We are keen to embrace the latest versions(developed forms) of modern technologies.

Leading Innovators to Gather for the 25th Elets World Education Summit & Awards in Dubai

Press Release

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digitalLEARNING Network

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March 11, 2023

Elets Technomedia along with its premier Digital Learning Magazine is proud to organise the 25th Elets World Education Summit & Awards in Dubai on 20-21 March with a vision to make education more accessible, engaging, and relevant to the needs of today’s learners.

Focussing on the theme “Exploring the Next in Education”, the premium closed-door event will present exclusive insights into the latest trends, best practices, and growth opportunities in the evolving education sector of the digital era.

“We are excited to bring together top educators and technology leaders to discuss the most pressing issues being faced by the education sector in the digital age. This is an ideal platform for all stakeholders to connect & collaborate to build a smart education ecosystem while exploring new-age innovations,” said Dr. Ravi Gupta, Founder, Publisher & CEO, Elets Technomedia.

He further said, “We are excited to showcase some of the most innovative education solutions at our expo. Also, we are looking forward to felicitating ground-breaking innovations at the 25th Elets World Education Awards.”

The 25th Elets World Education Summit (WES) will bring together leading educators and industry experts from across Asia & the Middle East for two days of learning and networking. It will feature keynote speeches from renowned speakers, panel discussions, and presentations from some of the leading experts in the field.

From the higher education sector, the stellar line-up of speakers includes Dr. Hamad Odhabi, Vice Chancellor for Administrative and Financial Affairs, Abu Dhabi University, Abu Dhabi, UAE; Dr. Nasser Al Muraqab, Chief Operating Officer (COO), University of Dubai, UAE; Dima Rachid Jamali, Dean of School of Business. University of Sharjah, UAE; Jan Horn, Managing Director, SAE Institute Dubai, Dubai, UAE, etc.

The speakers from school education include Amol Vaidya, Senior Director Operations, Global Schools Foundation, Dubai, UAE; Ghadeer Abu-Shamar, Senior Vice President Education – GEMS, and CEO/Superintendent, Al Khaleej International School, Dubai, UAE; Abigail Alexis-Olubuyide, Head of School, Wesgreen International School, Sharjah, UAE; Dr. Beno Kurien, Principal, International Indian School, Abu Dhabi, UAE, etc.

The digital era has changed the education landscape significantly, facilitating new tools and resources, personalised learning experiences, and new opportunities for collaboration and communication. As technology continues to evolve, the education landscape is likely to continue to transform, and educational institutions will need to keep up with the changing times in order to stay relevant. The summit will be joined by industry experts for an enriching exchange of ideas on future-ready digital transformation in length. The speakers from the industry include Madhuri Sawant, Founder and Managing Director, Brainquartz, Dubai, UAE; Dr. Brijesh Karia, COO, Singhania Education Services Pvt Ltd; Denise Hutton Gosney, Managing Director and Founder, Razzamataz Theatre Schools; Karen Keeman, Public Relations Advisor and Content Creator, Razzamataz Theatre Schools, Nirmal Singh, Founder & CEO, Wheebox, etc.

Key Discussion Points

Technology Intervention: Changing Landscape of Education
Skill Development: Road to Employability
Strengthening Vocation Education for Future-Ready Workforce
Digitisation in Education: Best Practices, Challenges and the Way Forward
Reforms and New Policies for Education in the Digital Era
Education Reimagined: Leadership for Transformation

& many more

Showcasing New-Age Products/Services

The 25th Elets Word Education Summit will feature a dynamic expo showcasing some of the latest and most innovative education solutions designed to meet the needs of today’s educators and learners.

Expo participants will include some of the most innovative and forward-thinking companies and organisations in the industry including Lyallpur Emporium, Vestel, Accuracy, Torrins, Matific, etc.

Celebrating Excellence in Education

In addition to the conference and expo, there will be a felicitation of innovations shaping the future of teaching and learning at the 25th Elets World Education Awards.

The prestigious awards aim to recognise and celebrate the exemplary work/initiatives of individuals and organisations in the education sector. It will The awards will highlight outstanding technologies, academic achievement, leadership, innovative educational initiatives, etc. that have enhanced the teaching and learning practices.

2 Days of Learning & Networking

Dubai is a city known for its innovation, diversity, and commitment to education. With its world-class infrastructure, state-of-the-art facilities, and thriving business environment, Dubai is the perfect destination for this mega event.

Join over 200 top leaders at the summit for unparalleled learning and networking experience. For details, visit: wes.eletsonline.com

Our Partners/Exhibitors: https://wes.eletsonline.com/wesdubai-partners-2023/

Punjab Budget 2023: A sharp focus on the education sector

Government News

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digitalLEARNING Network

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March 11, 2023

Harpal Singh Cheema, Punjab’s finance minister, on Friday, unveiled the state’s 2023–24 budget, which is an increase of 26% from the previous year. It contains no new taxes and places the greatest emphasis on the farm, education, and health sectors. In his first complete budget, Cheema unveiled a number of new initiatives, including a programme to reduce market price risk for the horticulture industry, a programme to support young entrepreneurs, a programme to solarise agriculture pumps, and two coaching programmes for students.

Effectively, there is a fiscal deficit of 4.98 percent and a revenue shortfall of 3.32 percent of the gross state product (GSDP), respectively.

The Punjab Young Entrepreneur Program has been introduced under the umbrella of education in to encourage Class 11 students to submit their unique business ideas. The government would assist them by giving each pupil seed money of Rs 2,000. For this reason, a budget allocation of Rs 30 crore is suggested. For the installation of rooftop solar panels in government institutions, the finance minister suggested allocating Rs 100 crore.

Two new programmes were suggested by the finance minister: Professional Coaching for Employment and Soft Skill and Communication Training. Under these programmes, students will receive professional coaching by creating employability coaching centres in government colleges.

The budget was harshly criticised by the opposition parties, who claimed that it had shattered the expectations of the common citizen and that the state would soon become heavily indebted.

Edtech unicorn Byju’s to raise $250 mn in Aakash pre-IPO funding

Corporate Updates

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digitalLEARNING Network

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March 10, 2023

Byju’s, the most valuable edtech startup in the world, is in discussions with both current and potential investors to collect about $250 million for its tutoring service subsidiary Aakash Educational Services (AESL), according to people familiar with the situation.

From investors like the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA), Sumeru Ventures, Vitruvian Partners, BlackRock, Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, Sequoia, Silver Lake, Bond Capital, Tencent, General Atlantic, and Tiger Global, Byju’s has raised a total of $5.8 billion.

By the the next year, AESL plans to make an initial public offering (IPO). In order to set the stage and raise the necessary funds, an interim event will be produced. The sources claim that AESL will carry out this through the issuance of convertible notes.

In 2021, AESL was acquired by Byju’s for $1 billion. The stock-and-cash transaction was the largest in the field of education. It offers thorough test preparation services to students studying for NTSE, Olympiads, school and board exams, medical and engineering entrance exams, as well as other foundational-level exams. In India, there are more than 300 branches.

Byju’s will be able to raise money thanks to the pre-IPO round at AESL despite a financing winter and significant losses. According to the most recent financial report accessible, Byju’s reported losses of Rs 4,588 crore in FY21, which were 19 times higher than those in the year before. Its purchase of the kid’s coding company WhiteHat Jr. is said to have contributed 26.73 percent of the overall loss. Byju’s, with a $22 billion market cap, plans to turn a profit by March of this year.

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