Page 47 - EducationWorld March 2023

Arunabh Singh ity, social and emotional learning, all state governments so that K-12
Director, Nehru World School, Ghaziabad tolerance and inclusion in all of education in all 1.5 million schools
India’s 1.5 million schools. is standardised. This is necessary for
• NEP 2020 has strongly advo- children to mature into responsible
cated inclusion of indigenous and national citizens.
traditional knowledge into school • There’s more to education than
curriculums. I am looking forward academic learning. I am looking
to the framework prescribing how all forward to the NCFSE advising all
schools can integrate our own knowl- educators to accord high importance
edge systems and local histories into to physical fitness, sports educa-
the curriculum. tion and healthy lifestyles. The new
NCF should highlight the intercon-
Kinjal Gajera nectedness of academic excellence
Trustee, Gajera Group, Surat with physical, mental, and emotional
well-being.
injal Gajera is the trustee of • New digital technologies have
the Surat-based Gajera Trust. revolutionised teaching-learning
KThe trust manages 18 schools worldwide. Our children shouldn’t be
Delhi University and King’s including the flagship Gajera Global left behind. I am expecting the new
College, London alum, Dr. School, Surat, three undergrad col- NCFSE to be a charter for educators
A Arunabh Singh is director of leges, and an orphanage. to develop digitally enriched pedago-
the CBSE and Cambridge-affiliated • Practical, hands-on learning gies that will improve the learning
Nehru World School, ranked Ghazi- which develops children’s knowl- outcomes of all children countrywide
abad’s #1 co-ed day school in the EW edge application, collaboration and and ready them for success in the
India School Rankings 2022-23. problem-solving skills, is a blindspot 21st century. I hope the new NCF
• NEP 2020 has mandated “multi- of K-12 education. I hope NCFSE will will provide flexibility to teachers to
disciplinary” and “holistic education advise schools and teachers across adapt and personalise the curriculum
across the sciences, social sciences, the country to supplement textbook to meet the diverse needs and capa-
arts, humanities, and sports for learning with environment, explora- bilities of our 260 million in-school
a multidisciplinary world”. I am tion and experiential education. It’s children.
looking forward to NCFSE 2023 in the national interest that all chil-
providing guidelines for introduction dren become self-directed learners. Siddharth Singh
of multidisciplinary and integrated • The national curriculum frame- Director, Emerald Heights International
learning in all schools across India. work is a guideline. Within it, state School, Indore
• Most schools countrywide are governments and exam boards are
still rooted in chalk-n-talk and rote free to teach the values, culture n alum of Stony Brook
memorisation. I expect the new and history of local communities. University, USA, Siddharth
curriculum framework to provide Therefore, it should be accepted by ASingh is director of the Em-
guidelines on how to break away erald Heights International School,
from these outdated methods and Indore, ranked India’s #1 co-ed day-
enable children to switch to experi- cum-boarding school in the latest
ential learning pedagogies including EWISRA 2022-23.
project-based learning, field trips, • Social and emotional well-being
and hands-on activities. is the prerequisite of academic
• NEP 2020 has strongly recom- success. But unfortunately in most
mended introduction of new digital schools across the country, social and
technologies into school education. emotional learning (SEL) is ignored.
I hope the NCFSE will advise all I hope NCFSE and NCF will provide
schools how to use technology in guidelines for SEL implementation
education to improve learning out- for all children countrywide.
comes of children countrywide. • Though the new national curricu-
• India’s children need to be freed lum framework will be focused on
from academic overload. I am hope- curriculum content and pedagogy, I
ful that NCFSE 2023 will provide believe it should also suggest ways
guidelines to promote gender equal- and means to create a safe and

MARCH 2023 EDUCATIONWORLD 49