Page 67 - EducationWorld September 2020

SCHOOL CURRICULUM AND PEDAGOGY REFORMS

Ryan Pinto training and support to implement
experiential and collaborative learn-
n alumnus of the Aston Busi- ing pedagogies is imperative for
ness School, UK, and Cass delivering holistic curriculums.
ABusiness School, London, C on tin u ou s a n d c om p re h e n s iv e
Ryan Pinto is CEO of the Mumbai- a s s e s s m e n t. The evaluation system
based Ryan International Group of needs overhaul to enable assessment
Institutions (RIGI), India’s largest of students’ application and analyti-
proprietorial K-12 schools chain cal capabilities.
with 137 schools and an aggregate
enrolment of over 270,000 students WIll introduction of a wide range of new
mentored by 16,000 teachers. courses/subjects in secondary school
drive up school fees?
How satisfied are you with NEP 2020’s This proposal will have to be imple-
proposals for curricular reforms in K-12 mented with care and consideration
education? as students will benefit from varied
NEP 2020 is a comprehensive educa- subject choices only if their chosen
tion policy document. Its school cur- subjects benefit them in higher
riculum reforms are laudable espe- education. Moreover, introduc-
cially the proposal to eliminate rote tion of even limited subject choices
learning in favour of competencies colleges will become redundant as across the science, commerce and
assessment. Moreover its emphasis classes XI and XII will become inte- arts streams will require recruitment
on teacher training, introduction gral to school education. of well-qualified teachers. This will
of inter-disciplinary learning and drive up school fees.
vocational education for all children What should be the major priorities
from class VI onwards, are praise- of schools as they switch from rote NEP 2020 has proposed introduction of
worthy initiatives. NEP 2020’s high learning to holistic, inquiry-based and holistic 360 degree multi-dimensional
emphasis on early childhood care experiential learning recommended by student report cards. Your comment?
and education was overdue. I am NEP 2020? The NEP 2020 policy document
especially delighted that the policy Schools need to transform their emphasises assessment for learning
document mandates development teaching-learning systems in three and not assessment of learning. This
of curriculums and pedagogies that fundamental areas: shift will transform the way teach-
promote critical thinking, creativity, C on te n t s u p p ort. Teachers and ers teach and students learn. To
problem-solving and knowledge ap- students need to be provided cur- implement this proposal, intensive
plication skills. These practices were riculums /content that promote teacher training will be required and
introduced in RIGI schools several creativity, critical thinking and exam/test formats will need to be
years ago. deep understanding of theoretical overhauled to assess students across
concepts. cognitive, affective and psychomotor
NEP 2020 proposes a new 5+3+3+4 T e a c h e rs . Continuous teacher domains.
academic structure to replace the exist-
ing 10+2 school system. How easy will NEP 2020’s school What are the major implementation
it be for private schools to switch to this curriculum reforms are roadblocks to NEP 2020?
new structure? India has 250 million school-going
This is a welcome initiative because laudable especially the children. This is a staggering number
it paves the way for all government proposals to eliminate and the sheer scale of implementa-
and private schools to formally tion will be a huge challenge. It will
integrate nursery and kindergarten rote learning in favour of take massive effort to change the
education into school education. competencies assessment course of such a large ship. Apart
While the transition may be difficult from government, teachers, school
for some schools that don’t provide and emphasis on teacher managements, parents and students
early years education, the new struc- training and inter- also need to be educated about the
ture will soon become normative. disciplinary learning transformational benefits of NEP
Also, higher secondaries and junior 2020.

SEPTEMBER 2020 EDUCATIONWORLD 67