Panel Discussion on National Education Policy-2020 and roadmap for its effective implementation in Jammu and Kashmir

An online panel discussion was held here today on National Education Policy-2020 and roadmap for its effective implementation in Jammu and Kashmir through Samagra Shiksha and Indian Institute of Public Administration, Regional Branch. The session was attended by around 150 participants including all the Chief Education Officers, Principals and HoDs of DIETs, Private School representatives, teachers, members of IIPA and civil society members. Principal Secretary, School Education and Skill Development, Dr. Asgar Hassan Samoon, who was chief guest on the occasion, highlighted the initiatives being taken up by the government in Jammu & Kashmir in the education sector. He said that the government is committed towards effective implementation of NEP 2020 by creating appropriate structural and procedural reforms with involvement of all the stakeholders including higher education. He said that the department is in the process of establishing over 600 Vocational Laboratories focusing more on inclusiveness and ICT based pedagogy in schools. Since NEP emphasise more on ECCE, the department is also focusing on Pre-Primary Education and shall soon engage partners for training of teachers, he added. Elucidating broad contours of the New Education Policy, Dr. Samoon said that besides introducing new emerging subjects in curriculum concept of self-assessments has also been conceptualized in the policy. The policy will also cover the emotional well-being aspects as well as personality development besides inculcation of concepts of arts, culture and sports into curriculum, he added. Professor Hrushikesh Senapati, Director NCERT, New Delhi, while sharing his views said that the new NEP lays emphasis on competency mastery instead of content mastery which if implemented effectively will enable youth to become more productive in larger interest of the nation. He further informed that NCERT is working towards creation of new curriculum framework which will transform the way the knowledge is being imparted to the children. He urged upon the participants to encourage critical and innovative thinking among children so that they construct their own knowledge based on experiential learning. Professor Manoj Dhar, Vice Chancellor, University of Jammu presented a more vibrant panorama of the NEP-2020. He reiterated that new NEP will enable India to achieve global education development agenda reflected in the Goal 4 (SDG4) of the 2030 Agenda for sustainable development. He laid emphasis on skilling and re-skilling of existing teachers. As an immediate measure, he said that leveraging the educational digital infrastructure should be enhanced in order to realize the vision of the policy. Dr. Arun Manhas, Project Director Samagra Shiksha moderated the session and apprised the participants that policy talks about 21st century learning skills which demand good curriculum and use of appropriate pedagogy and assessment along with competency based curriculum. K B Jandial, Director (Seminars), IIPA JKRB, discussed salient features of NEP- 2020. Professor Alka Sharma, Secretary IIPA, JKRB presented vote of thanks while Dr. Anil Gupta, Joint Secretary, IIPA JKRB and Dr. Ravinder Jangral, Samagra Shiksha coordinated the programme.