Page 14 - EW July 2022

Education News

DELHI financial literacy and technology
Policy pilot project skills. Children also have to fill up a

feedback sheet on activity and their
difficulty perception.
“This is a radical reform in which
children are at the centre of teach-
ing-learning. HPC is a pedagogical
tool which will enable teachers to tap
the highest potential of children by
mapping competencies and learn-
ing outcomes to attain the goals of
health, well-being and effective com-
munication,” says Dr. Sudha Acha-
rya, principal of ITL Public School,
Dwarka (Delhi) and president,
National Progressive Schools Confer-
ence which has 195 member schools.
ITL Public is one of 72 schools in
which the pilot programme was
launched on July 1.
A positive outcome of the high
priority accorded to early childhood
Government pre-primary in Rajasthan: NIPUN roll-out comfort education and FLN by NEP 2020 is
that now, there’s universal acknowl-
espite widespread criticism of in primary schools by 2026-27. edgement of the vital importance of
the BJP government at the “Government as well as non-govern- structured, professionally adminis-
DCentre and the Union educa- mental surveys indicate that we are tered ECCE. Hitherto, awareness of
tion ministry for lethargic imple- currently in severe learning crisis; a the critical importance of children
mentation of the National Education large proportion of students current- starting to learn enjoyably through
Policy (NEP) 2020, which was pre- ly in elementary school estimated to play and peer bonding was restricted
sented to Parliament and the nation be over 50 million have not attained to the upper middle elite classes.
on July 29, 2020, early childhood foundational literacy and numeracy, Now all educators are aware of its
care and education (ECCE) profes- i.e, the ability to read and compre- importance.
sionals are deriving some comfort hend basic texts and the ability to “I hope FLN is not just limited to
from the roll-out of the National carry out basic addition and subtrac- elite private schools. Over 80 percent
Initiative for Proficiency in Reading tion with Indian numerals. If action of the country’s 260 million in-school
with Understanding and Numeracy is not taken soon, over the next few children are in government and
(NIPUN) Bharat mission. A pilot years, then we could lose 100 million budget private schools. At the mo-
project of the mission was launched or more students from the learn- ment, we’re just hearing about FLN
early this month (July) in 72 schools ing system to illiteracy,” warn the but as the initiative moves forward,
countrywide under the Foundational authors of NEP 2020. we are eager to participate in the
Literacy and Numeracy (FLN) man- To track the progress of children FLN mission. Budget private schools
date of NEP 2020. in ECCE, the education ministry has will need incentives in the form of
After totally ignoring ECCE for designed a Holistic Progress Card handholding, necessary training and
over half a century, thanks largely to (HPC) to indicate 360 degree multi- other resources, and hopefully the
the efforts of EducationWorld which dimensional progress of every child’s government will provide a support
began stressing its vital importance cognitive, affective, socio-emotional ecosystem,” says Dr. Lakshya
in 2007, and on the recommendation and psychomotor development. Chhabaria, president of the Afford-
of the Dr. K. Kasturirangan Com- Learning outcomes of all children are able Private Schools’ Association,
mittee, NEP 2020 accords highest to be recorded on parameters of pro- Delhi, and director of S.R. Capital
importance to ECCE and FLN. social behaviour, health and hygiene, Public School, Naveen Shahdara.
The NIPUN Bharat Mission was motor skills, first and second lan- That some reform proposals have
officially launched in August 2021 guage skills, sensory development, transformed into pilot projects even
to attain the target of universal environmental awareness, sequence if belatedly, is welcome news.
foundational literacy and numeracy and concept formation, numeracy, Autar Nehru (Delhi)

14 EDUCATIONWORLD JULY 2022