New Education Policy- desirable to tangible

sky over India opened up to two glorious horizons. One of m literally, as first batch of magnificent roaring Rafales flew home into Indian air and kissed ground at Ambala Cantt. A historical moment! Ar, MHRD gets a new name, Ministry of Education, and rolls out New Education Policy (NEP). Again, a historical moment! While first empowers nation, second empowers nation within. Truly, a cherry on cake and we get to eat it too!! w if re’s any third that is pending to complete a historical hat trick, it is definitely an indigeus COVID-19 vaccine.

NEP has been well received by its stakeholders as well as common man. A well-rounded policy conceived with an inclusive foresight, NEP weaves itself brilliantly into weft and warp of education system, from teacher to taught, from beginner to sought. Since time it was anunced, media including social networks have been abuzz with news, analysis, commentaries, take-away points, and detailed tes on various aspects of policy. To add any more words to this brimming cup may only dilute its flavor.

So, as we sit back and look forward to its staggered implementations from next academic year, let’s just keep our fingers crossed that re won’t be any slip between cup and lip. Even though formulation of policy itself has been a mammoth task considering quantum of feedback taken and brainstorming done, it would be an added pleasure to see a few more desirables work ir way into this policy at some point in time.

At top of list of desirables is, first, integrating community service with school curriculum. In 5+3+3+4 structure, middle st (classes 6-8) is where an appropriate module of community service should be added. Value education at school is a shallow effort if we do t walk talk. In fact, community service could be a credit course in undergraduate and graduate curriculum too. ory informs, experience enlightens and gratitude softens; community service entails all three to enhance quality of thought process and reby quality of mankind.

Second, LESS IS MORE...should be mantra. Currently, we believe “more” is answer to all of our problems— everything can be solved with MORE classes, longer days, MORE homework, MORE assignments, MORE pressure, MORE content, MORE meetings, MORE after school tutors, and of course MORE testing! All this is doing is creating MORE burnt out teachers, MORE stressed-out students, and MORE frustration. schools are in sort of a mad rat race, competing to hoist ir flag in top slot; in process, sadly, young children are losing ir precious childhood to stress. Instead of herding m into a tsunami of academics let’s make education a breeze. Even if it's holistic, let's t go overboard with education. Ease Education-Related Stress in Schools. Period.

Third, keeping in mind health and wellbeing of students, t just curriculum but also school timings, breaks, duration, vacations, school architecture, infrastructure, and functioning needs to be reviewed as well as monitored. A typical school runs for 6.5h each day for 5 days a week. Commute included, this essentially translates to almost 8h outside home each day; close to an adult’s routine! Additionally, hurried, scanty early morning breakfast followed by a meal break only after 4 hours, confuses hunger hormones. Its nearly impossible to focus on studies over a grumbling stomach; natural fallout of hunger are fatigue, headache, weakness, irritability, and distraction. Schools should operate for only 5 days in a week for t more than 5 hours a day with two meal breaks for entire school, one an hour after start of school and second 2 hours after first one. Too much school robs children of or precious gifts of life. Children should have eugh free time to inculcate and pursue hobbies and be able to spend time with family. Weekends should be leisurely and festivals, enjoyable. Exams, tests, tutorials, assignments, etc should neir precede r follow immediately of major holidays or festivals.

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Furr, wear and climate play a major role in environmental conditioning of a being. refore, all buildings within school including gates should be connected with covered walkways and classrooms should be maintained at comfortable ambient temperature. Few doable changes in architecture and infrastructure may usually do trick. Also, school timings must change to accommodate requirements of local season/climate. Summer, winter, monsoon timings, as well as vacations, should be planned suitably to provide protection from extreme wear. This may keep allergies in check too.

Because state of bliss can only be experienced when physical, mental, emotional, social, and spiritual dimensions of self are aligned, it is necessitated that each of se dimensions be fulfilled to manifest happiness in children. Happy children grow into happy adults and make a Happy Nation. Schools, refore, have a far more important roleplay than just imparting education. To move back from ‘teaching shops’ to ‘temples of learning’, from a nation completely obsessed with marks and percents to a nation that is sensitive eugh to nurture diverse talents, from a work-centric society aiming to create only skilled workforce to one creating a conscientious workforce, to be able to look behind with pride and look ahead with confidence, we need to revisit, revise and rescue our education system from its hirto colonial inheritance.

NEP seems to be a promising “Vocal for Local” tool, an indigeus “Make in India” approach that can provide country with significant push to soar towards “Atmanirbhar” horizons.

Disclaimer: author of article is Dr. Meenakshi Dua, Assistant Professor, School of Environmental Sciences, JNU.
Expert in Molecular Microbial Ecology & Behavior.

views and opinions expressed are personal opinions of author. facts, analysis, assumptions, and perspective appearing do t reflect views of Republic TV/ Republic World/ ARG Outlier Media Pvt. Ltd.

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