Srinagar, Sept 20: “National Education Policy 2020 is not only a historic and holistic document but for the first time, has been created as a reflection of aspirations of the parents, teachers, students, and education experts, which aims to address the challenges for the coming generations,” Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha remarked while inaugurating the “Brainstorming on Implementation of the National Education policy-2020 in Jammu And Kashmir at Sher-i-Kashmir International Conference Centre (SKICC) Auditorium, here today.
Advisors to Lt Governor KK Sharma, Baseer Ahmad Khan; Vice-Chancellor, Univesity of Kashmir, Prof Talat Ahmad; Vice-Chancellor of Islamic University of Science and Technology (IUST) Awantipora, Prof Mushtaq Sidiqui; Former Chairman, UGC, Prof. Ved Prakash; Director NIT Prof. Rakesh Sehgal; Principal Secretary School Education Department, Dr. Asgar Hasan Samoon; Former VCs, DC Srinagar Shahid Iqbal Choudhary; Principals of GDCs and others were present on the occasion.
In his presidential address, the President of India Shri Ram Nath Kovind highlighted the cultural diversity, values, and pluralism of Jammu and Kashmir for ages. He also commended the talent and rich potential of the youth of Jammu and Kashmir and urged the concerned educationists, thinkers, and students to restore the glory of this land using NEP-2020. He added that J&K has a rich demographic dividend, which needs to harnessed in the right earnest.
Quoting Nelson Mandella the Lt Governor said “Education is the most powerful weapon, which you can use to change the world.” “Education can breed prosperity, peace, and harmony in the society if we use this tool effectively and efficiently”, he added.
On the inaugural day of the Brainstorming session, Advisor to Lt Governor KK Sharma gave a brief presentation on the roadmap for the of implementation of NEP-2020 in J&K. Terming the step as a milestone in over 30 years; he exclaimed that it would focus on developing better human beings apart from a generation of jobs and careers. It enumerates Revamping of curriculum, Aesthetic development, and teacher education.
Lt Governor further remarked that the New Education Policy contains features of Equity, Quality, Affordability, and Accountability. It promotes Individual Development through experience-based Education and logical thinking.
While addressing the gathering of VCs, Former VCs, Principals of different Degree colleges from across the UT, Lt Governor impressed upon them to use the progressive features of the NEP-2020 for the benefits of students. He called for mission mode efforts to meet the growing knowledge economy through best practices available worldwide including e-content and interactive modules.
The Lt Governor said, “The role and responsibility of teachers and educationists have now become bigger and so is the expectation from parents, students, and a vast global market that is looking for young Indian talents. One of the objectives of this interactive session on NEP-2020 is to discuss the doubts and apprehensions regarding the provisions of this policy and to ensure that each and every important aspect of this education policy is implemented in a time-bound manner.”
The Lt Governor also said that while nurturing the talents for a self-reliant India, our collective focus should be professional and qualitative research with synthesis of three elements- teacher, students, and curriculum, so when they are out of college after completing the education, a job or self-employment opportunity is available for them.
“As President and Prime Minister have called for enhanced exposure to vocational training at a young age for Atma-Nirbhar Bharat, the Vocational curriculum will help us to meet the challenges of college to work transition. Moreover, it will bridge the gap in vocational training requirements and current availability of skilled manpower”, the Lt Governor said.
Underlining the salient features of NEP-2020 the Lt Governor said that this education policy envisages a National Research Foundation for quality research. He appealed to the educationists to inspire and strengthen the culture of research in universities and transform this into a sort of movement. He termed the policy as dream of teachers and students and assured that the government would play the role of enabler at every step of this journey.
The Lt Governor said that this policy gives freedom to design curriculum, lessens the burden for more time to be invested in research and interaction, and sense of security of teaching jobs with a new set of rules. In this testing time of coronavirus and changing global scenario, this must be conveyed to every stake-holder using all possible means, including online modules. The pro-active approach of teachers and educationists, on the ground implementation and timely intervention in the practical education system to create an employable force of youths, is the need of the hour to make the Union Territory prosperous and progressive.
The Lt Governor gave a clarion call to start the discussion and the working in the Brainstorming Session for the timely implementation of key provisions of NEP-2020.
The Lt Governor also mentioned there is no dearth of talent in Jammu and Kashmir. It is evident from the fact that 14 young boys and girls have been selected in IAS and 3 colleges of J&K are in the top 100 colleges list of the Education Ministry of India. He informed that an online career counseling platform has been launched on a pilot basis in district Ganderbal and Udhampur for students, which aims to provide career education guidance to the students at an early stage of their studies to choose an appropriate academic and career options.
The Lt Governor reiterated that the UT government is committed to bringing about the significant changes in the education system by motivating and handholding of different colleges across J&K. The New Education policy gives ways for innovative activities, Modern labs, placements, and many such features for bringing a landmark change in Education system, he said.
Stressing on the timely implementation of NEP-2020, the Lt Governor said that our prime focus should be to invite suggestions from all stakeholders and to remove the doubts.
The Lt Governor emphasized the implementation of students’ feedback system in the universities, which, he said is a global practice. He also asked the concerned to address the doubts and apprehensions of students and parents.
He further urged the Universities and colleges to initiate psychological counseling and research to help the youth hit by the drug menace.
