National Education Policy a paradigm shift in education system, says Nagaland Chief Secretary

Our Correspondent
Kohima, July 13 (EMN): Nagaland Chief Secretary, J Alam on Wednesday said that the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 is a paradigm shift in the education system as it was finalised after exhaustive consultations and deliberations from grassroots to the experts.

Addressing inaugural session of the state-level seminar on ‘Development of Nagaland State Curriculum Framework’ at Capital Convention Centre in Kohima, the chief secretary said

The NEP 2020 is the country’s first education policy in the 21st century, introduced with an aim to address several growing developmental imperatives.

He said the policy will play a significant role in the socio-economic development of the country and that the new education system will strengthen and improve citizens’ standard of living.

Alam said that everybody associated with education, from central to state governments and other agencies had gone into high gear right after the new education policy was announced.

He said that a series of consultations had been held to translate the policy into action.

A key challenge, particularly in school education, is how to transact knowledge between the teacher and the student, said the chief secretary while expressing hope that the curriculum framework is designed to improve the learning outcome.

He said the approach in NEP 2020 is a bottom-up approach where subject experts contribute based on which a state curriculum framework will be designed, which will then be used for the national curriculum framework and the national curriculum framework will be developed by the Government of India.

“As per the strategy finalised by the Ministry of Education and NCERT, it has been decided that the National Curriculum Framework (NCF) should be framed by incorporating the local and indigenous flavour from across the country through wider consultations. For this, it has been decided that three areas of state curriculum frameworks be developed first and this be taken into consideration for the development of the NCF,” Alam said.

He further said another big challenge is getting access to education, particularly amongst the disadvantaged section of society, and underscored the need to put more efforts to reach the left out.

Commissioner and Secretary, department of School Education and SCERT, Kevileno Angami, in her address, said the inputs given by the people involved in the curriculum framework are critical as that will form the basis on which the SCERT develops the school textbooks.

She informed that under the new policy, the curriculum will be a 5+3+3+4 system, where five years will be foundational stage, three years preparatory stage, three years middle stage, and four years secondary stage.

She underlined the need to recalibrate and restructure the education system as envisaged in NEP, 2020.

While stressing on various pertinent issues relevant to the seminar, she emphasised on the values of learning about one’s tradition and culture while the knowledge  of the state and country including the fundamental rights and duties among others have to be incorporated in the curriculum in order to produce responsible citizens who can contribute to the nation.

Highlighting holistic learning, Kevileno Angami said that core subjects will have to be integrated with arts, sports, and life skills.

As highlighted in NEP 2020, she said, the flexibility of choices has been captured in the state curriculum framework.

She added that flexibility has to be provided to the students so that they can make life choices, and study plans while still in school. However, some subjects such as life skills, Mathematics, and Science will continue to be mandatory, she said.

Stressing on the need for change with the changing times, she said there is an imperative to provide a curriculum to the students so that they can adapt to the changing times.

Director, SCERT, N Chumchanbeni Kikon, said the purpose of the education policy is to develop good human beings capable of rational thought and action, possessing compassion and empathy, courage and resilience, scientific temper and creative imagination, with sound ethical moorings and values.

Kikon affirmed that the policy aims at producing engaged, productive and contributing citizens for building an equitable, inclusive, and pluralistic society. She also said the policy envisions an education system rooted in Indian ethos that contributes directly to transforming into an equitable and vibrant knowledge society, and thereby making India a global knowledge superpower.

“This policy aims to make education more experiential, holistic, integrated, inquiry-driven, discovery-oriented, learner-centred, discussion-based, flexible and enjoyable,” she said.

The Nagaland State Focus Groups for 25 subject areas worked tirelessly to bring out a draft State ‘Curriculum Framework (SCF 2022) guided by the visions and principles of the NEP 2020 to integrate and infuse traditional knowledge, cultural values and indigenous education in all the subject areas of the State Curriculum Framework,’ she added.

Senior lecturer, Veketulu Veyie, spoke on “Curriculum Framework for School Education,” and Dr. Zavise Rume, Professor, SCERT, spoke on “Curriculum Framework for Teacher Education” in the first and second sessions of the seminar respectively.

The discussion on “Curriculum Framework for Adult Education” was led by James Sema, senior lecturer, DIET Dimapur, while Razouvolie Peter Phewhuo, SAO, SCERT, spoke on “Issues and Challenges, Future Course of Action” and closing remarks delivered by Additional Director, SCERT, Keviraleü Kerhuo.