Page 38 - Education World Nov-21 Low 81.6MB

ANNIVERSARY ESSAY

Re-engineering India’s schools

for the knowledge economy

MOHANDAS PAI NISHA HOLLA

ODAY INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE AT OUR e new knowledge economy is driven
fingertips. The agricultural and industrial econo-
mies of yore where information was a scarce re- by information, data and computing
Tsource, have been replaced by a new knowledge power. Developing human resources re-
economy, driven by abundant information, data, and com-
puting power. The prerequisites of developing human re- quires critical analysis, lateral thinking
sources in this new economy are critical analysis, lateral and inter-disciplinary applications
thinking, and interdisciplinary application skills. Schools
must enable these differentiators by nurturing curiosity, in-
culcating problem-solving mindsets and developing inter- one-size-fits-all system. It prescribes greater integration of
sectoral toolkits. Regimented learning curricula focused on extra-curriculars, arts, sports and academics in the cause
rote memorisation, and exam-based learning outcomes are of all-roundedness. Sustainable vocational training is also
obsolete in the global new knowledge economy. Schools of prescribed to build large, highly specialised workforces, as
the future must unlock exploration and experimentation. in Germany, Japan and South Korea. Reduction of unwar-
Contrary to popular opinion, India is faring well in the rantedly complex curricula to core and foundational con-
new knowledge economy. While the sheer size of India’s cepts emphasises first principles-based learning.
1.38 billion population makes it difficult for everyone to NEP 2020 also explores concepts such as Special Edu-
participate in the new paradigm, there is steady progress. cation Zones and a Foundational Literacy and Numeracy
Driven by boom in ICT (information communication tech- Mission to teach computational thinking and technology-
nologies) — India has the world’s largest pool of engineers, oriented learning. It adds that to drive these changes the
extensive community of researchers and one of the world’s system at all levels must implement an overhaul of teacher
largest higher education systems — and empowered by mo- education and training simultaneously. India-focused
bile phones and Internet proliferation, India’s digital inclu- suggestions include a national repository of high-quality
sion programs have been a resounding success. resources and greater integration of vernacular and sign
Mobile phone users now number 1 billion and Internet languages to accelerate inclusion.
subscribers 750 million. The average Indian consumes 15- chools of the future should follow the recommendations
16 GB per month and digital learning platforms are in the Sof NEP 2020. It suggests a multidisciplinary architec-
vanguard of this trend unlocking new interactive English ture to drive India’s human capital development in the new
and vernacular languages learning models. A conscious knowledge economy. And because technology is the driv-
move away from regimented learning towards open explo- ing force of the new knowledge economy, it needs to be
ration will allow the country to reap force-multiplier out- integrated into the schooling system. Online platforms and
comes in developing its abundant human capital. digital repositories, piggybacking on mobile phones and In-
India’s schooling system is defined by rigid structures ternet proliferation will open new avenues to education-for-
with low flexibility to innovate and respond to contempo- all. It is a must-have, no longer a nice-to-have.
rary challenges. The significant shift to private sector edu- Indeed the new architecture proposed by NEP 2020 is
cation at all levels of learning demonstrates this. However, critical for India to achieve the United Nations’ Sustainable
private schools, too, are plagued by flexibility problems be- Development Goal 4 (SDG4) on education. Within SDG4,
cause of regimented curricula. Learning capabilities are not targets include universal primary and secondary education,
encouraged as much as exam-based outcomes, leading to equal access to technical, vocational and higher education,
inadequate readiness for the future. Moreover there is a gap universal youth and adult literacy, effective learning envi-
between what skills students learn and what they need to ronments and increasing the supply of qualified teachers.
learn. Government, Centre and states combined, continue NEP 2020 addresses all these issues.
to spend Rs.5-6 lakh crore annually on education despite Reform of India’s rapidly obsolescing system requires a
unsatisfactory learning outcomes. multi-stakeholder effort. All stakeholders need to align with
Against this backdrop, the National Education Policy the vision and implement the reforms proposed by NEP
(NEP) 2020, launched 34 years after NEP 1986, provides a 2020. India’s population growth rate is trending downward
revolutionary blueprint to undertake the challenging task and the last of the youth bulge will enter college in the next
of re-engineering India’s schools. 10-15 years. Accordingly, reform of the schooling system
Salient features of NEP 2020 include a new curricular must happen rapidly to allow for the youth bulge to take ad-
and pedagogical framework that changes the schooling vantage of the new architecture and develop skill-sets that
continuum from 10+2 to 5+3+3+4 incorporating early can transform Indian society into a future-ready nation.
childhood education and allowing greater flexibility for age- (T.V. Mohandas Pai is a well-known public intellectual. Nisha Holla is a
based open exploration and customization, rather than a technology fellow at C-CAMP)

38 EDUCATIONWORLD NOVEMBER 2021