Hindustan Times Education Summit: Making India a better place for learners
The new normal ushered in by the COVID-19 pandemic brought about a paradigm shift in the field of education among others. One of the key changes spawned by the pandemic in this sector is the magnified role of technology. This has necessitated a closer analysis in order to help learners, teachers and others adapt better to the new-found situation. Keeping this in mind, Hindustan Times conducted its first ever education conclave known as the Hindustan Times Education Summit (HTES) on 24th August, in Delhi. It was the confluence of the best of minds including Dr. Subhas Sarkar, Union Minister of State for Education, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, CM, Madhya Pradesh and Bhupesh Baghel, CM, Chhattisgarh, among others. Here are highlights from the summit that revolved around the theme, Education Meets Innovation: Transforming Learning Through Technological Interventions.
Education is the key to attain the vision of ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’
Dr. Subhas Sarkar, Union Minister of State for Education kickstarted the HTES with his inaugural keynote speech saying, “National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 is finally being implemented in a coordinative, concise and concrete manner.” He is hopeful that India will soon be promoted as a global study destination, providing premium education at affordable costs, thanks to NEP 2020.
During his address, Sarkar also focussed on the government’s Smart India Hackathon 2022 initiative that aims to offer students a platform to solve the pressing problems of the government, various ministries, departments, industries and other organisations.
“This itself is an innovative step in governance, where young minds are involved in solving some of the pressing challenges of our times. These young minds will be leaders of tomorrow. Let us all strive to create a generation of leaders who will lead India in various fields and attain the goal of Aatmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India),” the minister said.
“India will soon become the world’s start-up capital and skilled education is the way to ensure that,” he added.
Education should be imparted in mother tongue
Shivraj Singh Chouhan, CM, Madhya Pradesh, addressed the audience saying that developing education at the grassroot level is closely linked with NEP 2020 that promotes widespread education at the ground level in semi-urban, rural and tribal areas. “All students, even from a poor background, should not be devoid of education. Therefore, we have launched several initiatives toward the betterment of their education. Students in rural areas don’t go to schools by walking rather they go by cycles,” he said.
He put emphasis on building a skill-based ecosystem through concept-based learning that should largely cover the 5Cs of NEP 2020: Critical thinking, communication, collaboration, curiosity and creativity.
Sharing his views on the medium of education, Chouhan added, “Studying in the mother tongue will instil confidence in students, and ensure better learning of different subjects. By this, we are not discouraging students to study English. Our initiative encourages English learning as well,” he said. “Madhya Pradesh will be the first state to begin delivering medical and engineering education in Hindi,” he said.
Learning English is as crucial as regional languages
Bhupesh Baghel, CM, Chhattisgarh largely talked about taking education to the next level and he believes that English-based education is the right step in that direction. “The entire world demands English education system. We must prepare our students both in mother tongue as well as the English language, so that they can seek career opportunities both in India and abroad,” he said. He also added how it is the responsibility of the government to raise public awareness about the importance of basic education. When asked what all should be included in the curriculum, the minister responded saying, “All subjects should be given equal priority. Pedagogy should be multi-folded not restrictive, and education should not be rushed.” He was also highlighted that the learning gaps can only be bridged when the centre collaborates with the states.
Skill-based education is the way forward
With the education space slowly shifting from knowledge-based to skill-based learning, it’s the need of the hour is to adapt to this change. Rajesh Aggarwal, Secretary, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship said, “Skills like unlearning and relearning are what today’s employers look for in their employees, as against knowledge.” He further added how exposing learners to hands-on learning and industry interaction is the way to go.
Echoing a similar spirit, Dhuwarakha Sriram, Chief of YuWaah, Youth Development and Partnerships, UNICEF, said that building a skill-based ecosystem is crucial. “Innovation in education is not only about skilling, but also giving access to equal opportunities, using technology as an enabler and above all engaging in partnerships, keeping aside one’s own agenda,” she pointed out.
Drawing attention towards the necessity of upskilling, Siddharth Chaturvedi, Executive Vice President, AISECT, said, “Upskilling and reskilling are the two most vital things that the education sector should pursue.” He also mentioned how all other sectors should converge to contribute to the growing skill-based ecosystem by emphasising on hybrid learning, community counselling, and apprenticeships. “It all comes down to exposing learners directly to the world of work,” he added.
Upskilling teachers is the need of the hour
Amplified role of technology in the field of education is a blessing only when there are abled teachers to handle it. In this context, Dr Ram Shankar, Director, CBSE said, “CBSE has 16 centres of excellences and several other regional training facilities across India all dedicated to educating educators. We offer both subject-specific and general training.”
He also informed the panel how CBSE emphasises on implementing mass training at the ground level, where teachers are hand-held. “CBSE’s objective is to focus on impact training and analysis by bringing in experts from all fields together,” he added.
Sharing her opinion on the topic, Dr Ameeta Wattal, Chairperson & Executive Director Education, Innovations and Training- DLF Foundation Schools and Scholarship Programmes, said that upskilling the teachers is only possible when there is colleague collaboration and breaking of hierarchies. “We must remember that teachers continue to enact the most crucial role in the education space as they provide the human connect,” she pointed out.
Professor Anisur Rahman, Director, UGC HRDC, Jamia Millia Islamia, observes that teacher training programmes are a priority, not just for school education but also higher education. “The goal is to ensure best-quality education for teachers by introducing regulatory and assessment bodies for quality-check,” he said.
Inclusivity in education should be emphasised
Inclusivity is that aspect of education that is not much talked about. Addressing the need for inclusive learning, Shayama Chona, Founder President, Tamana Association said that everyone has the right to equal education, despite their physiological incapacities or neurodiverse nature. “Every teacher should strive to become a special educator,” she added.
The role of open schools in broadening the horizon of education is undeniable. “Open-schooling not only makes education inclusive but also diverse, where students can have access to personalised learning, that too at their own convenience and pace. It addresses the concern of learning disparity,” said Dr Rajiv Singh, Director, Academics, NIOS.
Sharing his thoughts on the topics, Ritesh Agarwal, Vice-President, Educational Initiatives said how learning shouldn’t be available only to a few percent and the stakeholders of education should ensure that learning alongside understanding is prioritised.
Vivek Varshney, Founder, SpeELabs India, summed up saying that inclusivity in education is only possible when all 3As, namely Access, Analysis and Affordability are served.