The New Education Policy termed as National Education Policy (NEP) expanded the age group 6-14 years of mandatory schooling to 3-18 years of schooling. The NEP introduces hitherto uncovered three years of pre-schooling, age group of 3-6 years under the school curriculum. The new system will have 12 years of schooling with three years of nursery or pre-schooling. Among the major reforms, the 10+2 structure in the schooling system has been replaced by a 5+3+3+4 structure.
As the State government rolled out the NEP beginning this Academic year 2021-2022, as stated through the issue of circular by Education Director D R Bhagat, where he says, ‘early childhood care and education for children aged 3 o 6 part of the school education for the first time’. The new policy proposes new curriculum for the foundational stage. So the structure that is introduced only recognises the foundational years that is 3 to 6 into formal curriculum.
This is just the fringe of the NEP and a whitewash. The Schools will welcome it. But there is still more into this NEP, which the heads of the schools have put across through concerned authorities and the issues that need to be addressed and are of major concern!.
Terming the draft of NEP a “fairy tale”, the CBCI had told the HRD Ministry the proposed policy had “overlooked” minority rights and the facilities guaranteed to these communities to establish and administer educational institutes. A six-member delegation of the CBCI’s Education and Culture office met Union HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ on July 29, 2019, raised the issue besides submitting a feedback report on the NEP draft.
“Minority rights available in the constitution and the facilities guaranteed to the minority communities to establish and administer education institutes are very much overlooked and seemingly brushed aside when the draft policy deals with appointments of staff, fee fixation, inclusion of aided minority (private) institutes in public category in the school complex concept, formation of school management committees and other administrative and regulatory details,” the feedback report said.
The CBCI asserted that the draft did not include education providers from minority communities, private school trusts and teachers who are in touch with ground realities of the education sector.
“It is a fairy tale NEP that bites more than it can chew. Why is this draft silent on removal of caste system and other social evils? Why all the constitutional provisions are overlooked regarding minority rights? Are we succumbing to the demands of WTO-GATS and falling for excessive commercialization of education?” the CBCI posed. It said that bringing in industries, corporate houses, NGOs and foreign universities should not make higher education costly and far from the reach of common people.
We request the Board of Education to look into the loopholes and to uphold the minority rights available in the constitution and the guaranteed facilities. Eradicate illiteracy however do not sell the temples of Education to the Corporate.
