National Webinar on NEP 2020:- Retooling the framework of teacher education

We actively participated in a online national webinar on " NEP 2020:- Retooling the framework of teacher education" organised by Peet Memmorial training college, Mavelikkara on 12th November 2020. Resourse person:-

Dr.G.Viswanathappa

Professor

Regional Institute of Education,Mysore

A brief note on National Education policy

The NEP proposes sweeping changes including opening up of Indian higher education to foreign universities, dismantling of the UGC and the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), introduction of a four-year multidisciplinary undergraduate programme with multiple exit options, and discontinuation of the M Phil programme.

In school education, the policy focuses on overhauling the curriculum, “easier” Board exams, a reduction in the syllabus to retain “core essentials” and thrust on “experiential learning and critical thinking.

An NEP is a comprehensive framework to guide the development of education in the country. The need for a policy was first felt in 1964 when Congress MP Siddheshwar Prasad criticised the then government for lacking a vision and philosophy for education. The same year, a 17-member Education Commission, headed by then UGC Chairperson D S Kothari, was constituted to draft a national and coordinated policy on education. Based on the suggestions of this Commission, Parliament passed the first education policy in 1968.

In a significant shift from the 1986 policy, which pushed for a 10+2 structure of school education, the new NEP pitches for a “5+3+3+4” design corresponding to the age groups 3-8 years (foundational stage), 8-11 (preparatory), 11-14 (middle), and 14-18 (secondary). This brings early childhood education (also known as pre-school education for children of ages 3 to 5) under the ambit of formal schooling. The mid-day meal programme will be extended to pre-school children. The NEP says students until Class 5 should be taught in their mother tongue or regional language.

The policy also proposes phasing out of all institutions offering single streams and that all universities and colleges must aim to become multidisciplinary by 2040.

The NEP doesn’t say anything specifically on children of parents with transferable jobs, but acknowledges children living in multilingual families: “Teachers will be encouraged to use a bilingual approach, including bilingual teaching-learning materials, with those students whose home language may be different from the medium of instruction.”(refered indianexpress.com)

As per the new policy, by 2030, the minimum degree required for teaching will be a four-year integrated BEd. Apart from this, the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) will also be changed as per the new school system.

Changes in B.Ed

Since schools will need teachers who can teach in multiple languages and have knowledge of new-age courses like computational thinking, coding etc., introduced at the school level under the NEP, BEd course will also be changed accordingly. The BEd courses will be of four-year duration. Dual BEd degrees with a focus on one language and having bilingual lectures will be offered too. BEd programmes will allow specialisation in the education of ‘gifted chi new National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 released by the Centre on Wednesday has recommend a slew changes to the country’s education system. As per the new policy, by 2030, the minimum degree required for teaching will be a four-year integrated BEd. Apart from this, the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) will also be changed as per the new school system.

Earlier, the TET was divided into two components — part 1 and part 2. Now that the school structure has been divided into four parts — foundational, preparatory, middle, and secondary —  TET will also be developed accordingly. For subject teachers, suitable TET or the National Testing Agency (NTA) test scores in the corresponding subjects will also be taken into account for recruitment. The NTA will hold exams for all subjects and a common aptitude test.

Those who qualify TET will have to give a demonstration or appear in an interview, and show their knowledge of the local language, as per the new policy. As per the NEP, “Interview will become an integral part of teacher hiring”. These interviews would also assess comfort and proficiency in teaching in the local language. It would be a must for teachers in private schools as well to qualify TET.

The hiring and vacancies in schools will be managed digitally. A technology-based comprehensive teacher-requirement planning forecasting exercise will be conducted by each state to assess expected subject-wise teacher vacancies over the next two decades.

Since schools will need teachers who can teach in multiple languages and have knowledge of new-age courses like computational thinking, coding etc., introduced at the school level under the NEP, BEd course will also be changed accordingly. The BEd courses will be of four-year duration. Dual BEd degrees with a focus on one language and having bilingual lectures will be offered too. BEd programmes will allow specialisation in the education of ‘gifted children’.

One and two-year BEd options will also be available. Two-year-BEd will be for candidates having a Bachelor’s degree, and one-year BEd programmes will be offered only to those who have completed the equivalent of four-year multidisciplinary Bachelor’s degree or who have obtained a Master’s degree. These candidates will be later hired as subject teachers in the area of speciality (or the subject pursued at UG or PG level).

Additionally, shorter post-B.Ed. certification courses will also be made widely available, at multidisciplinary colleges and universities.

Here are some slides presented in the webinar:-

The webinar was concluded with the words of Albert Einstein

The programme was concluded with happy feedback from everyone. All participants expressed their satisfaction about the webinar. 

          E-certificates were presented to the participants after the programme.