Don Morgan wrote a book, Guitar, with a subtitle The Book That Teaches You Everything You Need To Know About Playing the Guitar in 1965. Ironically in his. introduction, he commented, "No one can teach you to play Guitar." Clarifying later, he wrote that teachers, tutors and coaches can help you learn. The essence of learning lies in activating students as the owner of their learning, and Don Morgan makes it abundantly convincing. Learning to learn is the central new marker in the National Education Policy (NEP2020).
A remarkable event in the 75- year history of the United Nations (UN) occurred on September 25, 2015. In a historical adoption, 193 member states, including India, agreed on a common goal to transform planet earth and make it sustainable. The resolution identified 17 goals christened as Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) premised on 5 P's people, planet, partnership, peace, and prosperity. What lies at the heart of SDGS is acknowledging that the whole planet and its inhabitants are one whole unit and the future of the globe depends upon how the 5 P's interplay with each other. Human beings are the microchips that make the integrated universe. Even if one of these building blocks malfunctions, the entire circuit collapses. Mahatma Gandhi said, "When a person dies. a whole universe dies with him.
If the individual goals of happiness and prosperity are the strong aspirations, so should be the harmonious co-existence of all inhabitants of this planet. If we ignore this crucial aspect, the inequality itself will devour all prospects of sustainability. Active people partnerships ensure that the world attains freedom from poverty and other subhuman conditions. Seen in this light, the UN's enunciation of these goals to be achieved by 2030 is a revolutionary intent that signals the other marker in the NEP2020. The goal of quality education and lifelong learning for all is the pivot around which other goals revolve. Imbuing the students with empathy, good citizenship, and a global outlook rooted in local realities and culture is the policy's explicit message. Students will be taught at a young age the importance of doing what is right and will be given a logical framework for making ethical decisions, says the policy (para 4.28).
From the foundational stage onwards, all curriculum and pedagogy will be re-designed to be firmly rooted in the Indian local context and ethos, envisions the policy (para4.29). This is particularly significant as we tend to get into the lure of the exotic. We tend to laud the other nations systems which perform better than ours. There is nothing wrong with studying the successes and failures of other systems. However, an implementation must be grounded in the national culture. The prosperous nations around the world could evolve a robust education system due to a broad national consensus. The other pillars of a resilient system are attaining a parity between academic and vocational pathways and embracing the principle of equity.
A significant lighthouse in the policy is the focus on the role of teachers. Professional autonomy to experiment and research, reflect in practice and 'reflect on practice' are foundations of any education system's success. The NEP2020 acknowledges the teachers' recruitment, retention, and professional nurturing as crucial drivers of change. All teaching is about learning. Much of the national aspirations are attainable if a national culture con evolve to create an environment for the teachers and learners to learn, grow and shine together.
There are innate talents in every student, which must be discovered. nurtured, and developed, says the policy para 4.43). The process of fostering student agency must begin with self regulated learning. Self- assessment, peer-tutoring and peer-to-peer assessment help students care more about communicating with each other and with the teacher to reflect on their learning and pursue the goals of collaboration and valuing each other. The policy encourages searching for multiple pathways to explore possibilities the students. Building more schools, opening. alternative routes to learning, bringing back the among dropouts, and creating learning earning - returning and relearning opportunities for a vast majority of young learners will expand options and flexibility. There is an urgent need to look at school education through the lens of human capital formation. Early possibilities of internship. job shadowing, cultural competencies, volunteering for community work and micro credentialing skills will catapult the students on a lifelong learning expedition.
Education has always been important; it is more critical now and will be the essential indicator of sustainable societies. The National Educational Policy's essence is to prepare a generation ready for a future world through re- imagined schools and learning spaces. Success will come to those who recognise the primacy of higher - cognitive, socio-amotional and digital skills.
The author is an SDG evangelist, former principal and National Coordinator, Climate Reality Education, CRP, India
First published in IPN Voice . #IPNVoice comes out with a collection of brilliant ideas, thoughts and practices. I thoroughly enjoyed reading the contributions by the educators across generations. A refreshing read that compels you to reflect. Thank you Gaurava Yadav for your yet another innovative endeavour.
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