Category: Education News

It’s happening! The moment we have all been waiting for is at our doorsteps! Our current educational system in India is about to have a major revamp soon.

National Education Policy (or NEP) came as a surprise and it was a change that was long due. NEP was last updated in 1992, which is evidently pretty outdated.

“Our promising children will have a much more practical and useful education soon! Great news indeed!”

However, we do understand that many of you might be confused about the new announcement. So, what we have done here we have simplified the concept so that people can understand it easily and educate themselves.

In this blog we will address:

• The Premises

• Introduction

• What is the National Educational Policy

• History of National Educational Policy

• Merits

• Demerits

• Conclusion

The Premises

The past system was increased compared to the ones in Finland, Singapore, and Germany. A major drawback of our system compared to them was that there was no flexibility in the subjects in a syllabus.

Students were forced to choose between Humanities, Commerce, and Science.  Another major problem was the fact that there was little priority to practical knowledge.

This new policy by the Government of India has attempted to address all those drawbacks.

Let’s dive deep and see how the Government has tried to better the education sector.

Taken from The Hindu

Introduction

The new national education policy changes how schools, as well as colleges, work. It was put forward by Human Resource Development Ministry led by Hon’ble Education Minister, Shri Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank‘.

It is an attempt to revolutionize the curriculum, the courses offered and the medium of instruction. There have also been some controversial points, which we will discuss later on.

What is National Education Policy?

It is a framework by which all the educational institutions in India abides by. The policies get updated every few decades. This is by far, the most deviant from the older policies and hence the attention.

The History of National Education Policy

After the Independence of India, there have been many attempts to revive the quality of education. There were many commissions that aimed at this goal.

Some of the notable ones were:

• Education Commission – This was headed by UGC Chairperson, D S Kothari. The parliament passed the first education police in 1968 thanks to this commission

• Secondary Education Commission
• University Grants Commission
• Kothari Commission

As a result of these commissions, we have seen the birth of the Indian Institute of Technology (IITs) and the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT). But we still didn’t have a solid ground on basic education.

That issue was addressed by the Indira Gandhi administration. They took into account the recommendations by the Kothari commission and made the National Education Policy.

That was the start of it all.

The policies were further revised by the Rajiv Gandhi administration and now by the Narendra Modi government.

Changes in Courses

There are no changes in the courses per se except for M. Phil programs. M. Phil’s are obsolete according to the policy

Pretty much everything else stays the same, except for the duration of courses. Degrees are now bumped up to 4 years and MA’s last only a year.

MA Graduates can now directly go for Ph.D. programs and all M. Phil programs will be phased out

No more UGC, AICTE, and NCTE

They will be replaced by a new body, known as the Higher Education Commission of India or HECI. This move is to govern private and public educational institutions by the same norms.

A new affiliation mechanism will grant autonomy to all colleges through a period of 15 years.

Also Read: 20 Best Education System in the World

The Positives/Merits

1. Flexibility

Like we mentioned earlier, one of the major drawbacks of the previous system was there was no flexibility in the subjects.

Focus on multi-disciplinary aspects, flexibility and more…some salient features of the National Education Policy, 2020. pic.twitter.com/yX1yaLMQ3k

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 1, 2020

There were specific curated subjects in Science, humanities and commerce that the student had no control over. But since the arrival of this policy there is more room for individuality.

A student studying in Humanities can study biology if s/he wants to, which was previously not possible. Students can build their own curriculum based on their interests.

2. Schools Start Early Now

A 5+3+3+4 instead of 10+2 model will be implemented

• This is another move on the right path. The government toll the initiative to give attention to children age 3-8. This allows the kids to get comfortable and start learning from a young age.

It ensures that everyone has the proper aptitude before entering into formal education. Activity-based learning takes place here. It will remind you of Finland’s education policy that gives priority to both work and plays.

• In the next three years (age 8-11), the children will transition into classroom learning while keeping activity-based learning alive.
• Age 11-14 (dubbed middle stage) will be concentrated on ‘experiential learning’ on Maths, Science, Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences.
• The next Secondary stage (14-18-year olds) is where they get to design their curriculum and the students will be allowed to cultivate very individuals’ skills and expand branches of their knowledge tree.

3. Vocational Learning

In India, there is a stigma against vocational jobs. Vocational jobs include carpentry, metalwork, etc. This is a wrong mindset and the government has tried to address it by introducing proper training.

A 10-day bagless period for grade 6-8 students will engage in internships under experts in the field. In the US, it is known as Shop Class, Germany is also a great example for vocational learning. This will continue towards 12^th grade.

Apart from vocational learning, children will also learn coding from class 6. Which is a very important skill to possess in this day and age.

4. Report Cards

As a student we often feel that our report card is one-sided. But from now on the students are to self-evaluate themselves and their classmates.

This will bring a new perspective to everybody involved in the system. The students will also learn to critically think for themselves, giving them lessons of consequences from an early age.

These can help to raise citizens that self-assess themselves later on in their life.

5. Investment in Education

The best thing about New Education Policy: it says education will get 6% of GDP as against the present 1.7 per cent (quality needs to be focus now). overall, a policy that should be welcomed for its intent to at least take a serious look at a sector needing urgent reform.. 👍

— Rajdeep Sardesai (@sardesairajdeep) July 30, 2020

The government has promised that it will double the investment in this sector. That is approximately 3% of the GDP to 6%.

We have seen the budget go down throughout the years but the government came through and ensured more investment in the sector. In fact, the 6% calculation was already the goal of lawmakers from the start of our country.

This is definitely an achievement in that sense.

6. Board Examinations

The priority given to the Boards will be reduced. The policy aims to conduct 2 exams to reduce the burden and pressure.

The mode of examination will also be changed. You don’t have to have all the bookish knowledge to excel at exams anymore. The exams are to be more application based rather than ‘rote learning’.

There are breathing spaces for the students now.

7. Multiple Entries Exist Program

Students can now migrate between degree programs and carry their credits with them rather than just cancelling. You can also obtain certificates if you choose to drop out after a year.

• 1^st year drop out – Certificate
• 2^nd year – Diploma Certificate
• 3^rd year – Bachelor’s Degree
• 4^th year – Bachelor’s Research Degree

MA courses will last only one year of you complete all 4 years of Bachelor’s Degree.

The Negatives / Demerits

1. Medium of Instruction

The medium of education until class 5 will be the regional/mother language. The policy has ignored the importance of English as the unifying language of the country.

This rule can become a barrier because you will find it hard to cope with foreign language, especially English later on.

This also puts forward another problem. It will be impossible to transfer students between states as the children will be totally alien to other languages.

As much as unrealistic this is, we can expect this clause to not be implemented.

In a world where multilingualism is valued, this idea does more harm than good.

2. The Anti-Democratic argument

The policy has been criticized for not making the state governments participate in the system.

Bypassing Parliament, ignoring opinion of state governments and rubbishing opinions of all stakeholders, Modi government is unilaterally destroying our education system. pic.twitter.com/TxhS4GRzOi

— Sitaram Yechury (@SitaramYechury) July 29, 2020

The mechanism of education seems more centralized. Rather than leaving room for different states to modify the policy according to their needs and capability.

This will also affect teachers. The training board for teachers is also be set to be centralized.

The Wrap-up

These are pretty much an overview of the New National Education Policy. If you want to read the 66 paged government-issued pdf, you can do so by clicking this link.

We are yet to see the fruits of this new policy. We have to be skeptical about the implementation of this ambitious policy. But we should also be enthusiastic as there is a new goal in place.

Foreign universities have also been welcomed to set up schools here. This will improve the overall quality of education as there will be a tight competition.

Healthy competition can never go wrong, Am I right?

You can also expect students to have better mental health with a lightweight syllabus.

All of us are passing through a hectic time as things have changed in a flash.

Delay in academics to begin, no school re-opening day celebrations, no class gathering, and classes have been moved to online as a whole.

Even though these changes are indigestible for many but moving with the trend is the only thing that works finely.

As a result of all these scenarios, most of the school boards have come up with the option to reduce the syllabus. Do you think it can really benefit students?

Let’s see what are the consequences to be faced if syllabus is reduced or curriculum is shortened.

As we are already aware of the fact that, a majority of the 21st-century kids do lack general knowledge and are unaware of the basic things.

Why is it so?

In a single click away!

A simple click can help them to know from something as small as a ‘nail’ to something as large as an ‘airplane’, Relying on internet has reduced the intelligent quotient and brain usage of most of the students.

Many people have come up with the idea of reducing syllabi as they find online classes to be difficult and topics are not being covered up.

Reduction of syllabi and school hours is not a good idea as it will affect students preparing for competitive exams and their future prospects.

According to students, reducing the syllabus will not prove to be the right solution. Because it can affect them wildly in their long run.

The boards and education minister have come up with this in order not to pressurize students. The ministry is of the opinion to give maximum time for students to prepare for the exam and also to make use of online classes and digital notes available.

 According to CBSE boards, the key features of the reduced syllabus will be

• Retaining the core elements of syllabus, other duplicate chapters will be removed
• Education will revolve around learning outcomes and competency-based education rather than exam-based learning
• In the coming years, 20% questions will have connection to real-life situations
• Students need to adapt to the present-day education system because a simultaneous change is required in this scenario.

So, we have seen that reducing the syllabus is not a good idea, but we need to bring new methods of teaching and learning.

What happens if the Curriculum as a Whole is Reduced?

• It can affect the students preparing for competitive exams
• Students get promoted to the next grade with partial knowledge
• Can reduce the brain utilization of students

So, What is the Alternative?

Changes in teaching methods can be appreciated. Teachers can make the learning process interactive and engaging.

One of the things that can work out well is giving proper feedback. Students can be asked to attend tests frequently and teachers should give them timely feedback. This process can enrich the learning process to an extent.

One of the other things that can be done is Self-learning.

In curriculum, some topics can be segregated for self-learning, wherein the students can be asked to study those portions on their own. This can also be a relief for teachers to an extent as it can reduce their burden.

In colleges, teachers just play a role in guiding them with the curriculum, and the note-making and learning part is left completely for the students to understand. So, self-learning from a tender age will let students be familiar with the trend.

So, this would be of great help to them in the future.

What we can offer?

Students can be asked to do assignments and projects, once the lessons are completed.

But can teachers own time for all these during this crucial time?

Edsys for Education presents ‘Assignment Management System” and “Assessment Management System” to engage students to carry out test and task in a systematic way.

Teachers can make use of the Assignment and Assessment Management System to make this process interesting and collaborative.

Here teachers can assign assignments to students easily, as we have a handful of added questions to this.

For assessments also, teachers can select the questions and assign them to students easily.

One of the major highlight of this is, proper feedback from teachers can be conveyed to students in no time.

Self-learning is also possible in this system; students can attend the tests and can assess themselves.

Things would have a colorful ending only if we embrace innovations and technological advancements bravely.

I hope these features can help to cope with this present scenario, without reducing the curriculum or syllabi.

The Coronavirus or Covid19 as it is known has shaken up the entire world. It is the biggest fear of the people now and many countries are in lock down. In this situation, it is better to be safe and take precautions beforehand.

With all the fear and media coverage of the coronavirus it is clear that people above 60 are more prone to the virus than youngsters.  The problem is that this fear has left kids with the impression that getting the virus can lead to death Parents should be able to explain to kids what the virus is, what the risks that they are up against, and how to take precautions. This will give them courage before they are mislead by false information.

What is Coronavirus (COVID-19)?

What the world is now facing is a type of coronavirus. This is a group of viruses that can cause diseases in both humans and animals. The virus affects the respiratory tract and is usually mild. In certain cases it has proved to be severe like SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome), MERS (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome) and the most recent COVID-19.

COVID-19 is the latest type of coronavirus to be detected. It is believed to have started in China in December 2019. The world still could not find vaccine for it. Symptoms include dry cough, tiredness, fever and difficulty in breathing.

The virus can infect people without showing symptoms for up to 14 days. This is why it is considered dangerous. You will not know if you are infected for up to 14 days giving the virus enough time to infect other people you come into contact with.

How does the Virus Spread?

The virus can spread through droplets from person to person. Droplets of body fluids, such as saliva and mucus, contain the virus. It spreads when an infected person sneezes or coughs onto you, when you touch someone who has the virus on their body, or you touch some surface which has the virus left on it through contact with an infected person.

The virus is said to have first appeared in a seafood market in Wuhan, China. Health experts are still looking into this fact.

How to inform Kids about the Virus?

Kids are exposed to social media at a very early age nowadays. The bad thing about social media is that a lot of misleading facts are spread through this platform.

So it is not a surprise that a lot of fear about the coronavirus has already been spread among children.

Parents have to know that not informing kids about the virus can lead them to unnecessary worries… Therefore it is better for them to receive information that is vetted by the parents and based on facts rather than rumours.

The parents need to be reassured and be able to answer all their doubts. Do not give them too much information which they may not understand. Give only what is required. Inform them about all the precautions they need to take against the virus and help them do it.

The most important thing to do is to keep talking to them. Give them confidence so they will feel reassured. Keep them updated and try to correct any inaccurate information they get from social media.

Precautions against the virus

You should be aware of the disease and be proactive. As of the saying, prevention is always better than cure. So, some of the precautions that you can take against the virus are:

• Wash your hands with soap and water at regular intervals for a minimum of 20 seconds. Washing hands should be done properly before and after every meal and every time you return home from outside.

• If soap and water is not available, hand sanitizers with more than 60% alcohol content can be used.

• Maintain at least 1 meter distance from anyone who is coughing or sneezing or has some kind of fever.

• Do not touch your face without washing your hands. Hands touch many surfaces and therefore can contract viruses. When you touch your face, the virus can get into your body.

• Avoid going to crowded areas and large gatherings such as weddings and religious congregations. Try to avoid using public transportation such as the metro or bus service.

• Abide by the travel restrictions given by the local authority

• Leave your house only when it is unavoidable. Doing so increases the risk of both you and your family getting infected.

• Clean and disinfect your house frequently

• If you feel sick and have any of the symptoms of the virus, seek medical help immediately and try to avoid contact with others.

How to take Extra Precautions for Kids?

• Avoid sending them to buy essentials and restrict them from wandering around the neighborhood unnecessarily.
• Though it is difficult, do not allow them to play with other children even when you are close by and can keep an eye on them.
• Do not visit houses of relatives unnecessarily.
• Teach them how to wash their hands in the proper manner.
• Help them build a habit of washing their face, hands and legs when they come in from outside.
• When parents come in from outside, avoid giving your children things like car keys, your phone or any packages. Hugs also till the parent has cleaned up.
• Avoid food from outside.
• Make children wash their hands thoroughly before every meal.
• Provide them some kind of entertainment so that they will not be desperate to go outside during lockdowns. Kids need to be occupied and the best way to do it is to spend time with them.
• When telling them to do things, make them understand why they have to do it. Kids won’t like it if you prevent them from doing something without giving reasons.
• Maintain a routine when at home during lockdown. A fixed routine to stick to is comforting and eliminates a lot of uncertainties in the kids’ minds.

Activities to keep your Kid Entertained during Lockdowns                           

• Bring out those board games that are hidden in the back of all your old stuff
• Help them learn a new talent like cooking
• Develop new hobbies like reading or drawing
• Online courses can be taken to develop new skills
• Watch movies on streaming platforms
• Allow kids to maintain contact with their peers using video call and social media
• Kids can be taught how to plan and use their supplies so that they don’t run out of it during critical times.

Nutrition

A very good time to teach your kids about nutrition. They need to learn that one of the best ways to prevent any disease is to have a strong immune system. We need to eat healthy to have a healthy life.

A healthy diet along with good hygiene can help you in building your resistance. Include raw and partially cooked salads in your diet to increase the intake of minerals. Kids should also be taught how to cook healthy foods.

To sum up

Coronavirus is a huge threat to the society now. Even if it is not fatal to everyone, the virus easily spreads and therefore anyone can contact it. The danger is increased because you will not know if you are infected until after fourteen days and by that time the virus may have spread to the people around you. Because of this, everyone is living in fear.

Kids look up to their parents for solutions to all their problems. It is your duty to help them understand what the virus is and help them remain calm. You have to help them understand the precautions they have to take to remain healthy and not contract the virus. Kids have to understand that by staying at home and not wandering around, they are reducing the risk to themselves, their friends and their families.

As novel coronavirus is the pandemic that the world is facing now, like all other pandemics that have occurred in the world, we will overcome this too. We as individuals have to do whatever we can to prevent ourselves from contracting this disease. If one person takes precautions, many lives can be saved.

Therefore, protect yourself and your family. Help your family, especially your kids, to take the necessary precautions and stay safe. This pandemic will also pass if we do our bit contributing towards reducing the risk of spreading the virus.

The corona virus pandemic has led to countries resorting to complete lock downs to quarantine the citizens and to prevent the spread of the virus.

Educational institutions were the first to close their operations. Parents are bewildered at the thought of looking after their children during this period of social isolation. They are looking for tips for keeping kids learning during the quarantine period.

It would be appropriate for the parent to explain to the children what the corona virus is and why this isolation is required. It should be explained to them that their parents are with them ensuring their safety and security. Allaying their fears of the present situation enables them to free their minds for other activities.

Schools have taken various methods of education at this time of closure. Most of the schools have their courses online. This way the students can continue with their studies without a break. E-learning is more effective for children in higher grades and colleges.

It is difficult to implement remote learning for children in elementary sections. There are many who do not have devices at home to support online learning. Some school districts have provided students with devices. Some others have sent worksheets and books home.

The parents who work remotely face a struggle. It becomes difficult to juggle between their work, devising activities for toddlers and supervising e-learning for older kids. The parent can provide the kids with a balanced schedule for study and other activities. Since all children are not of the same mind-set, some wanting to play more, some wanting to study less – it is better that the parent takes up the role of a supervisor.

It is essential that the learning and activities keep the children’s brain sharp and alert. The following tips will enable parents to organize themselves and plan a daily routine for all at home.

TIPS TO KEEP THE CHILDREN LEARNING

1. Create a Schedule

The parent has to devise a structure that suits the family environment. The schedule should cater to the individual needs of a child. The child has to understand that he is not on a holiday but has to attend classes from home.

Parents can devise their lesson plans or follow what the school has outlined. The mainstream schools have a structured timetable for the week. Adhering to the school routine will ensure that the child will not be lagging in his work.

The time allotted for study can be decided by the parent. The time frames set by the schools can be followed depending on the child’s progress. Some children need more time to understand and grasp facts. Being flexible will help reduce the stress on the child and the parent.

As a thumb rule, normally 15 minutes of study for each year of the child is what is followed in home schooling. A six year old will need about 90 minutes of study. Children in higher grades will need half a day. The period from 10 am to 1 pm is ideally suited to learning.

Work gets done in a more efficient manner in homeschooling. Hence the schedule does not have to allocate the same number of hours as in school. The schoolwork can be interspersed with time for art, music and other activities.

The time for breaks will have to be decided depending on the children’s attention span. Occasional breaks will prevent boredom. The children should be allowed time to relax between their learning schedules. It is seen that giving children freedom to learn increases their motivation.

The parents have to communicate with the children and offer help if required. Children of younger age groups would need constant supervision and encouragement. The environment and the method of implementation of the learning schedule are more important than achieving time-lines.

The entire process can be made fun with a couple of hours in the morning for lessons. Physical exercises can be incorporated into the daily routine and can be scheduled for the evenings.

2. Create a Learning Environment

There is no stipulated guideline on what a learning space should be. It would be advisable to create a space for learning so that children can focus on their work. Every child has different ways to learn. A single environment may not work for everyone. Schools have found this as a challenge as they have limitations in creating different environments.

In this aspect home learning has an advantage. Different environments can be created inside the house or outside. Learning can be done anywhere as far as the child can concentrate and be safe. Children should be free to choose their place of learning. Children opt for different methods – sit at a table, lying on the ground, listening to music while studying.

Distractions should be limited. TVs should be switched off. Internet programs should be delinked for specific duration. It would be advisable if the family as a whole would refrain from loud distracting activities during the time allotted for learning. This will motivate the children to finish their lessons on time. Moreover, it would also make the children regard their parents with esteem.

Mean while also look at some precautionary Measures to take inorder to avoid Corona(Infographics)

3. Assist, aid, facilitate

In a home learning environment, the parent’s role is that of a guide and facilitator. Children should be allowed to learn by themselves. They should not rely on parents for learning. They should learn to take control of their study.

The child may be assisted with suggestions and solutions if he encounters difficulty in his work. If the parent is in doubt it would be better to work together with the child to find a solution.

The schools and states have online sites giving support to parents. The parent should be on hand to assist and aid the child. The parent should take care to not get in the child’s way and hamper his progress. The parent should remember that they are only facilitators in the process of home learning.

There are also online support programs for children. Links are published by school authorities for home learning. It has to be ensured that the sites used are those from official authorities.

Parents have to incorporate frequent breaks, be less critical about the errors and make lessons pleasant. Parents have to remain calm and not get overworked over the children’s learning process.

4. Parent Updating

The parent adopts the role of a teacher or supervisor in home learning. The schools provide the learning material online. If not, it would be advisable to check the respective websites for the curriculum. Guides are available to understand the curriculum in detail. It is imperative that the parent goes through the study material online to effectively aid and facilitate the child’s learning.

5. Upgrading Technology

The parent has to check what computer programs are required to access the work sent from school. Adobe Acrobat Reader or Adobe Flash player may be required for pictorial and graphical work. Some companies are offering free online programs and services during the quarantine period. Adobe is offering free access to its cloud facilities to school IT administrators.

With teachers delivering lessons online downloading teleconferencing sites becomes a necessity. Sites like Skype and Zoom can be downloaded for free.

It has to be ensured that all the programs are downloaded from their official sites to prevent exposure of the computer malfunction due to viruses.

Parents generally leave the education of their children to the schools. Homeschooling is uncharted territory for many. All schools are not geared for online lessons and virtual classrooms. They are in the process of identifying what works best for the curriculum and the kids. This unprecedented quarantine has forced parents and schools to cope with learning from home.

Over and above this, it is best to inculcate in the kids the habit of reading. Encourage them to read. Reading will keep their minds stimulated. Reading helps in increasing the attention span of the kid. These qualities will be a life-long asset to the child. Reading will help them in their learning whether or not they attend school.