Time has made us to refer aspects of Teaching Learning processes under two eras; Before Covid (BC) and After Covid (AC). The AC era forced both Teachers and Students to make use of technical tools to a great extent. Teachers resisting to adapting themselves to technology have become minority in numbers and the band of students not having access to digital devices has also thinned. At the same time, people witness the education system of our country undergoing a revolution by the introduction of the NEP 2020. Overhauling of our education system was a long-standing due and almost everyone in the system recognizes that implementing NEP 2020 in true spirit would change the way children are prepared for life.
Even though the broader aim of education has been preparing children to become successful citizens since centuries back, we must accept that our education system failed to achieve this. It is true that lessons learnt in Schools have least impact in practical life and what many people have been doing in their careers have the least connection with their academic achievements. The gap between academic learning and practical life is so wide and I truly believe that the NEP 2020 addresses this issue with due care. The NEP 2020 brings paradigm shifts in the aspects of Teaching Learning processes. Contrary to the previous educational policies, the NEP 2020 emphasizes more on practically achievable objects and is more connected to the demands of the real-life outside school premises.
It will take time to train teachers to adapt to the needs of the day and they too will find it a bit difficult to re-orient themselves to the new environment. Teachers are made to get involved in too many activities in addition to their normal academic duties which are focused towards making students achieve better scores in Terminal/Board Examinations and hence they feel that additional burdens have been imposed on them.
Annual Planning is a crucial factor in School Administration and schools generally carry out their daily activities as per plans made at least ahead of a year. Directing Schools to conduct different activities through executive orders within short periods only make them to oblige namesake compliance and does not yield the real outcomes expected from observing/conducting those activities. Almost all School Heads and Teachers I have interacted on various occasions expressed their unhappiness over the chain of activities being conducted through these kinds of frequent directives issued by the Department.
On one side they are answerable to the expectations of Parents who are from the society which still gives more importance to grades than developing life skills and on the other side fulfilling the demands of the new era Education System. We must also take into consideration the service conditions of Teachers serving in the private sector. In our country nearly 40 % students are studying in private schools and ignoring these underpaid teachers while implementing new policies may lead to their over exploitation by managements.
