Rethinking Schools: Academicians advocate child-centric education under NEP-2020

Baramulla, Dec 13: The academicians, speakers on Saturday stressed for adopting child centric policies in schools and to focus on improving the academic standards of the students, particularly at the elementary level.

The speakers were addressing a huge gathering of teachers during the day-long conference on National Education Policy (NEP)-2020, organised by the J&K Teachers Forum (JKTF) at Government Degree College (GDC) Baramulla.

The academicians highlighted the basic role of teachers as the nation builders, saying that the upliftment of school-going children should be the priority for the teaching fraternity.

Addressing the gathering, Director School Education Kashmir (DSEK) Naseer Ahmad Wani, said the previous education system focused on providing education up to 12 years, but with the introduction of NEP-2020, it has increased to 15 years.

“NEP has devised it in a framework of 5 3 3 4. So, as compared to the previous system, there is only a difference of three classes of childhood education, including nursery, LKG & UKG,” he said.

DSEK said that in the previous system, the kindergarten section was only seen as vibrant in private schools, but now the government schools have also shifted focus to making a strong foundation for students from kindergarten classes.

“An excellent infrastructure has been built for kindergarten in almost every school. For that, the government has set aside funds separately. We are trying to make kindergarten classes more attractive and sustainable as compared to private schools,” he said.

He said earlier that all the students would prefer private schools, but currently our thrust is that those arrangements which are expected from private schools should be made available for children in government schools as well.

He said the teachers who have a major role in reforming society will only happen if they practically teach the same things that we think are better for our children.

“Our job is not just to teach the children, but we have to educate them in such a way that it is reflected in them while serving society.

“Our children should be the reason for the development of our country and the development of our State.

Earlier, joint director SED (North) Hakeem Tanveer Ahmad in his address highlighted the role of teachers in giving their efforts to make a bright future for the students.

He said teaching, being one of the noble professions, has the power of transforming a kid into a good human being with an ability to serve mankind.

“The teacher should always remember that the child should be his priority in school because he is the real guardian of them,” he said.

Chief Education Officer (CEO) Baramulla, Altaf Hussain Tara in his address said that besides working on personality development of students teachers have to play their role in improving the academic standards as well.

Deputy CEO Baramulla, Iftikhar Bashir, in his address, said that the teachers have a role in bringing reforms at the school level by improving the overall academic excellence of the students.

“Apart from conferences and seminars, the teachers must improve the learning outcomes of the students. Whatever we do for the whole year, we all wait for the output at the end of the year,” he said.

Chairman JKTF Muhammad Shafi Rather and Provincial President JKTF Javid Ahmad Bhat also spoke at the occasion. Both the speakers vowed to work for the betterment of the students and the teaching fraternity as well.

Principal GDC Baramulla Porf. Mohammad Shafi Lone and Vice Principal GDC Baramulla Prof. Tariq Chalkoo were also present at the occasion.