Education has always been the world's change agent. What happens in the classrooms has an impact on society. It is not the other way around. The difference, the intervention that we seek, must begin with the educational ring itself. Post-independence many changes have occurred in the education system of India and the three education policies are the major part of these changes, each having its importance in terms of covering different issues of the time. The first post-independence national education policy was introduced in 1968 putting major emphasis on compulsory education for children up to the age of 14 years. This must be done to tackle. The next policy introduced in 1986 is a national policy of education which majorly focuses on removing disparity among various social groups and bringing uniformity of education among them. It didn't account for the competitive global landscape which became important with the beginning of the globalization of the Indian economy post-1991. Now after 3 decades, NEP2020 is an attempt to account for this global competitive landscape and balance the local and global human resource needs of the growing Indian economy. The introduction of NEP2020 covered the issues of contemporary times and made changes in line with the previous changes. Under the new policy, the government aims to bridge social gaps in participation, access, and learning outcomes in school education with a target of 100% Gross Enrollment Ratio (GER) or zero school dropouts by 2030. It is important to understand these changes and how NEP2020 has become a major step in the holistic development of a child.
The National Education Policy 2020 (NEP 2020) is an educational reform blueprint for a new India. The Indian cabinet approved this policy on July 29, 2020. Quality education is believed to be the foundation of long-term development. NEP 2020 will strengthen all citizens by improving their skills and knowledge. Furthermore, it explicitly mentions the complete modernization of the Indian educational system, from pre-primary to higher education, as well as curricular reform to institutional reform in a phased manner, which will assist India in meeting SDGs objectives. The NEP 2020 aligns with Goal 4 of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs 2030).
Education for Sustainable Development is a lifelong learning process that is an essential component of high-quality education. It is commonly defined as the acquisition of knowledge, skills, values, and behaviors required to build a sustainable world. It provides learners of all ages with knowledge, skills, and values, as well as an agency to address interconnected global challenges such as climate change, biodiversity loss, unsustainable resource use, and inequality. It equips students of all ages to make informed decisions and take individual and collective action to change society and care for the environment. It fosters the intellectual, socio-emotional, and behavioral dimensions of learning while also addressing learning content and outcomes, pedagogy, and the learning environment.
The first NEP was introduced in 1986 and updated in 1992. There have been no changes in India's education policy since then. The country's ever-changing socioeconomic conditions necessitate an overall transformation of the education system to achieve the UN's Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) to SDGs. With this in mind, a committee chaired by K. Kasturirangan, former ISRO chief, was formed to draft the NEP 2020. The primary goal of NEP 2020 is to establish India as a "global knowledge superpower" through quality education, encouraging innovation, and cultivating a strong research culture.
SDG4 Quality Education, one of the 17 SDGs set by the United Nations in 2015 ensures inclusive and equitable quality education and promotes life learning for all. It has 7 outcome targets as follows:
● Universal primary and secondary education
● Early childhood development and universal pre-primary education
● Equal access to technical/vocational and higher education
● Relevant skills for decent work
● Gender equality and inclusion
● Universal youth literacy
● Education for sustainable development
These targets are reflected in the provisions of the new education policy drafted with the main aim to transform India into a vibrant knowledge society and global knowledge superpower by making both school and higher education more holistic, flexible, multidisciplinary, and suited to the needs of the 21st century. This SDG is vital from the perspective that it can help in achieving many other SDGs because these SDGs cannot be addressed in isolation. The first 5 SDGs are strongly interrelated with the SDG4. NEP2020 is a transformative policy as it addresses every aspect of the education system and takes the initiative to make the education system such that it can produce global citizens.
Goal 4 of SDG 2030, which is the cornerstone for national growth, is based on quality education; as a result, quality education and SDG 2030 go hand in hand for a positive transformation of the world. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which highlighted access, equity, quality, affordability, and accountability in education as the cornerstones of high-quality education, is in line with the NEP. Quality Education broadens, adapts, multidisciplinary, and adapts school and higher education to meet the demands of the 21st century.
Another goal of SDG 4 is to end gender disparities in education and ensure that all disadvantaged groups, including people with disabilities, indigenous peoples, and children in vulnerable situations, have equal access to all levels of education and vocational training. The importance of equality in education and vocational knowledge is also highlighted by NEP 2020, which also includes a provision for its integration into the core curriculum. To allow students to interact with local professionals like carpenters, artists, potters, gardeners, etc., NEP 2020 introduces a very innovative idea in school education that includes at least 10 days of bagless periods. Students will have the chance to complete internships to develop these skills.
Conclusion
There were high expectations for the NEP because it was released after a 34-year hiatus and because it nearly covered every aspect of the educational system. The NEP 2020 provides a thorough framework for a fundamental transformation in the organization and delivery of education at all levels and all forms. However, for NEP 2020 to be implemented, changes must be made to the educational administration systems as well as the curriculum and pedagogy. The New NEP combines academic and vocational education, promoting children's overall development and, ultimately, the advancement of the nation. NEP 2020 has become the roadmap for achieving SDG 4 by addressing the various issues and aspects of quality education.
By:
Purnima Agarwal Himanshi Arora
Kamna Bagga
Comments