Education Commission: An umbrella structure

Keeping in view the present scenario of education, Jammu and Kashmir needs a fully fledged Education Commission–an Umbrella structure for joint monitoring, strategic planning, accountability and comprehensive implementation of policies which are in tune with 21^st century for both school and higher education. Education Commission, not council, to set the existing system right and identifying challenges is earnestly and urgently needed. This write up serves as a guide to understand the significance, functions and contributions of these bodies, including enhancing quality education (SDG-4) and access to fostering innovation and collaborations. This commission will serve as a backbone of governance and decision making in education system and as such should be empowered, entrusted and authorized to:

1. Prepare roadmap for education sector covering elementary, secondary, higher secondary, higher education, professional and liberal education. Besides well-defined path, it has to demolish the decades old boundaries which have been built between the systems particularly in School Education and Higher Education and carry space audits, rationalize the infrastructure and manpower, wherever required. (Sharing of resources is needed, which is in tune with NEP 2020)
2. Critically review the courses and programs and to suggest changes keeping in view the latest trends across globe, with rapidly changing technologies. Accountability and assessment of effectiveness of subjects and the values of each course with removal of overlapping to ensure that they meet the demands and expectations of our students, besides assessing an outcome that classroom learning and curriculum should be in tune with each other. The COs should match with POs (one Robust Model already proposed). This will also overhaul the contents of existing books, which is need of the hour. In today’s post, IIT Jammu has advertised faculty positions, wherein the specialization for different fields/ subjects is really an eye opener for the rest of the institutions.

• Immediate steps to forge the relations/linkage between academia and industry (which are very less in Kashmir), making education more attuned to the needs of economy, which ultimately will contribute to the prosperity of society. Promotions of tangible skills (skills that are useful in real world), problem solving skills and cultivating an entrepreneurial culture for creating an industry – ready workforce. This is not seen in our pedagogy and experiential learning is needed.

1. Repair and re-visit the existing administrative practices/procedures to make the structure more dynamic and result oriented, with inter institutional cooperation. The commission shall have to analyze and critically review existing acts, ordnances, regulations and procedures in education and suggest changes periodically, with a framework for institutional accountability and setting up new institutions through a proper regulatory mechanism. This will re-shape, re-structure, re-locate and merger of many centers of learning/institutions.
2. Strengthening and expansion of on-line set up to harness full potential of e-learning to be taken up seriously. This infrastructure is needed in normal as well as in difficult times and can be used to make delivery efficiently, as it is impacting every facet of life. Keeping in view the increase in population, these frameworks have to be expanded and strengthened. Computer based examination is also required for future.
3. Public-Private Partnership (PPP) in education in India is collaboration between the government and private sector to improve the quality, accessibility, and efficiency of education. Attracting private investors in the education system to turn the state into educational hub of the country, including suggesting measures of Public-Private Partnership (PPP) particularly in lower education up to class 5th. Public feedback on performance and achievements has to be periodically reviewed on such initiatives, with assistance from legal experts. It can increase access to education and bridge the infrastructure gaps.

• There is an offering in New Education Policy that each district will have one Multidisciplinary Education and Research University (MERUs) of global standard, with an open option that well-established universities of the world can setup their branches. The commission shall facilitate coordination between UTs education systems and institutions of repute within the country and across the globe, as per policy.

The commission should have eminent experts, subject experts and stack holders for deliberations in its summits/meetings, including authorized to deal incidental/ ancillary matters, along with a team of legal experts. The commission shall require one huge campus (to accommodate all under one roof), where even state head have their representatives, followed by multiple Offices, which should remain in touch with offices down the line round the clock for updates and quick resolutions. This campus should have huge Guest Houses, Training Centers, Science City /Park, Science Gardens, Laboratories, Observatories, Central/State Library, Central Purchase Section, Vigilance Squad, Monitoring Wing, State Board and one big Auditorium with adjacent Conference Halls. The mandate shall be to promote educational excellence, expand educational opportunities, provide quality facilities of pedagogy/mentorship which will cater to the requirements of future generations.

The Hon’ble Minister of Education, J&K will hopefully take cognizance of this and set up a model Commission for Education in Jammu & Kashmir. These commissions have played a crucial role in steering the course of educational development, including quality, accessibility and flexibility, keeping in loop with private sector philanthropists and education lovers.

The author is former Head, PG Department of Physics and teaches Nanotechnology at NIT Srinagar