The National Education Policy 2020 states that ‘The aim of education will not only be cognitive development, but also building character and creating holistic and well-rounded individuals equipped with the key 21st century skills’.
NEP has also set a goal that by 2025, at least 50% of learners through the school and higher education system, shall have exposure to vocational education, making them learn at least one vocation and expose them to several more by integrating vocational education into all schools and Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in a phased manner over the next decade.
Importantly, NEP 2020 also encourages different models of Vocational Education in schools so that locally relevant skill education can be offered in appropriate manner.
Different models of Vocational Education
- NEP proposed lifecycle-based approach for the student from Upper Primary to Grade 12, to change the narrative of Vocational Education as “Applied Learning” and provides them with much needed “life skills”, thus making them future ready for higher education, employment, or livelihood. Hence any intervention of providing Vocational Education needs to keep the child at the Core. Hence, there is an effort to provide age appropriate and customised Vocational education at each level of the school (Primary, Secondary and Higher Secondary).
- The pre-vocational education programme to be introduced from Grades 6 to 8 will mainly focus on activity-based teaching-learning. It will not only reduce the boundaries between the bookish knowledge and practical knowledge, but will also expose children to the skill requirements in the work areas, thus helping them to decide the future career path.
- At Secondary and Sr. Secondary level, NSQF compliant vocational courses are offered to the students alongwith other academic subjects.
The State Governments have been advised that Vocational courses are to be treated at par with other academic subjects and accorded a similar status in the scheme of subjects. Employability Skills module consisting of Communication Skills, Self-Management Skills, Information and Communication Technology Skills, Entrepreneurship Skills, and Green Skills has been made a mandatory part of the Vocational Courses.
- NEP aims to address integration of vocational education into all schools and Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). This provides mobility between general and Vocational Education. A unified credit accumulation and transfer framework is being devised for integration of academics and Vocational Education.
NEP 2020 is sweeping in its vision and seeks to address the entire gamut of education from preschool to doctoral studies, and from professional degrees to vocational training. It acknowledges the 21st century need for mobility, flexibility, alternate pathways to learning, and self-actualization.
Government Initiatives for improving Education new Education Policy
- Samagra Shiksha Scheme: The Scheme focuses on improvement in quality of education by providing support for different interventions to all States and UTs, like in-service training of teachers and school heads, conduct of achievement surveys at State and National level, composite school grant to every school for providing a conducive learning environment including sanitation and hygiene, grants for library, sports and physical activities, support for Rashtriya Avishkar Abhiyan (RAA) (to connect school-based knowledge to life outside the school, and making learning of Science and Mathematics a joyful and meaningful activity), ICT and digital initiatives, School Leadership development, Learning enhancement programmes, Padhe Bharat Badhe Bharat, etc.
- The Central RTE Rules 2010, were amended: It include reference on class-wise, subject-wise learning outcomes at the elementary level. Accordingly, the learning outcomes for all subjects from grade 1 to 8 have been framed by NCERT and notified. This will help all stakeholders to understand what is expected of them and hence enhance measurement and accountability in schooling.
- The National Achievement Survey (NAS) is conducted periodically to enable a health check on the education system, identify gaps in learning outcomes, and take remedial steps.
- National Initiative for School Heads' and Teachers' Holistic Advancement (NISHTHA) is a first of its kind teacher training programme under Samagra Shiksha wherein the Government of India, through its academic bodies, NCERT and NIEPA, is taking a lead role in changing the landscape of in-service teacher training.
- National Initiative for Proficiency in Reading with Understanding and Numeracy (NIPUN Bharat) has been launched, for ensuring that every child in the country attains Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (FLN) at Grade 3 by 2026-27.
- PM eVidya is a comprehensive initiative under Atmanirbhar Bharat Programme, which unifies all efforts related to digital/online/on-air education to enable coherent multi-mode access to education.
- PM Poshan Shakti Nirman is a right-based Centrally Sponsored Scheme under National Food Security Act, 2013 and covers all children of Balvatika to Class VIII in Government and Government-Aided schools for provision of supplementary nutrition at school.
- NEP 2020 recommends the development of 3-month play-based ‘school preparation module’ for all Grade 1 Students’ with and without preschool education, to ensure that all children are grade I ready till universal provisioning of quality preschool education is achieved.
- SAFAL (Structured Assessment for Analysing Learning levels): This Competency-based assessment will be introduced in CBSE schools for grades 3, 5, and 8 as per NEP 2020, from 2021-22 academic session. It will focus on testing for core concepts, application-based questions, and higher order thinking skills
- Vidyanjali 2.0: It is a volunteer management programme. It will help the community/volunteers to interact and connect directly with the Government and Government-aided schools of their choice and share their knowledge and skills and/or contribute in the form of assets/material/equipment to meet the requirement of these schools.
- School Quality Assessment and Accreditation (SQAA): CBSE has been designated as Standards Setting Authority (SSA) for Kendriya Vidyalayas, Navodaya Vidyalayas, Private Independent Schools, and Government schools affiliated to the Board. Accordingly, CBSE has prepared standards in different areas of school functioning like curriculum, pedagogy, assessment, infrastructure, inclusive practices, human resources, management and governance, and leadership.
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