Page 50 - EducationWorld March 2023

Cover Story

schooling success. NCFSE 2023
should provide guidelines on how
to engage all students in shaping
their learning trajectory. This would
empower them to introspect, identify
pathways for improvement and take
charge of their own learning.
• NEP 2020 has mandated school
curriculums to include local and
indigenous knowledge systems. I
am certain that the new NCFSE will
suggest ways and means on how all
schools can integrate this rich reposi-
tory of traditional knowledge within
the curriculum.
• I hope the new NCFSE will suggest • Among India’s 1.5 million schools,
how best to empower and enable the Bharat Malik 400,000 are budget private schools
nation’s teachers. The framework Chairman, Arya Gurukul Group, Mumbai with 60 million children, many of
should give teachers the flexibility them first-generation learners. I
to innovate to achieve the holistic harat Malik is the Mumbai- am looking to NCFSE and NCF to
development objective of NEP 2020. based chairman of the Educa- provide guidelines on how to en-
• I am confident that NCFSE 2023 Btion Today Foundation. It able first-generation learners who
will be globally benchmarked to manages the Arya Gurukul Group receive no help at home to realise
incorporate the best tenets and prac- of primary-secondary schools and their potential. I hope it will suggest
tices of international curriculums. preschools. Malik is also a founding specialised skill development courses
For instance, the curriculum of ‘Stu- member of the National Independent for first-generation learners and el-
dio School’, UK is worth emulating. Schools Alliance (NISA). ementary adult learning programmes
• I am expecting the new national • The prolonged lockdown of for their parents.
curriculum framework to overhaul education institutions during the • NEP 2020 mandates experien-
mathematics teaching-learning to Covid-19 pandemic highlighted the tial, practical learning. I am looking
banish maths phobia within stu- critical importance of children’s forward to NCFSE suggesting how
dents. NCFSE 2023 should also mental and emotional well-being. to integrate experiential, practical
suggest experiential and practical I hope the NCFSE provides guid- learning into India’s schools. I hope
teaching-learning pedagogies. ance on improving children’s mental it will also suggest how to re-intro-
• Active parent-student-teacher well-being so that they develop into duce outdoor learning activities as
engagement is the prerequisite of well-balanced young adults. practised in our ancient gurukuls.

Pooja Taparia • NEP 2020 has directed inclusion of
Founder, Arpan, Mumbai social and emotional learning (SEL) in all
schools. I am expecting NCFSE to advise
ooja Taparia is founder and chief all schools countrywide to allocate time,
executive of Arpan, a Mumbai- dedicated resources and teaching-learning
Pbased award-winning NGO provid- materials to this important subject.
ing child sexual abuse prevention and • In alignment with NEP 2020’s mandate
intervention advisories to children and to all schools to provide a safe and secure
adults. learning environment for all children,
• I am hopeful that the new national cur- NCFSE 2023 should recommend all
riculum framework will give high impor- schools to design a Child Protection Policy
tance to sexual abuse prevention and personal safety which will advise school managements and teachers to
education. It should provide clear guidelines to schools ensure zero tolerance towards child abuse.
on ways to equip children with the knowledge and skills • I hope that NCFSE 2023 will offer a roadmap to all
to identify unsafe situations, refuse assertively and seek schools to create trauma-free learning environments for
support. children and provide access to counselling and therapy.

52 EDUCATIONWORLD MARCH 2023