The teacher must be at the centre of the fundamental reforms in the education system. Given such an important role to a teacher in the education system, it becomes all the more important to strengthen and refresh the skill base of teachers on a continuous basis. Therefore, bringing teachers to the forefront, NEP 2020 endeavors to enhance the professional standards among teachers. With this rationale and also in pursuance with the directives of the Regulating Authorities concerned, an Educators Awareness Workshop on “NEP 2020 : Vision to Action – Intent, Implementation, Impact and Implications in Higher Education” was organized by the Internal Quality Assurance Cell (IQAC) on Wednesday, September 22, 2021 at 1:30 PM in the College Seminar for Hall.
The Principal Dr. Premalatha V. in her opening address said “NEP 2020 is a historic effort which seeks to introduce and implement a sea of changes across all levels of education in India. It is indeed a welcome breath of fresh air which has reoriented the focus of education and is trying to move away from rote-learning and memorizing as core practices. Instead, there is greater focus on testing concepts and knowledge application, and encouraging a more holistic development for students”.
The Special Invitees Mrs. Latamaheswari K. B., Principal and Mr. Gopalakrishna Shetty, Dean, Canara Pre-University College, Mangaluru, were also graciously present for the programme. Mrs. Latamaheswari K. B. while addressing said “The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 is the first education policy of the 21st century and replaces the thirty-four year old National Policy on Education (NPE), 1986. It is a framework intended to guide the development of education in the country. The NEP proposes sweeping reforms while focusing on overhauling the curriculum, thrust on experiential learning and critical thinking while bridging the gap between current learning outcomes and those desired”.
The Keynote Speaker Dr. Jayakara M. Bhandary, Special Officer – NAAC and Academics, Office of Regional Joint Director, Dept. of Collegiate Education, Mangaluru Region, in in his Keynote address said “The NEP 2020 is a giant step towards the much needed reforms in education sector. A whole lot of deep thinking has gone into the preparation of this document with significant and inclusive inputs from all stakeholders. The State Government is making all preparations to implement the NEP. Hence, the Colleges shall very soon receive the further directives and guidelines from their affiliated University for implementation. Cost effectiveness and quality consciousness will be the key differentiating factors in determining the sustainability of the HEIs amidst the growing competition in the years to come”.
The Key Speaker Dr. Norbert Lobo, Director, Admin Block and Associate Professor of Economics, St. Aloysius College (Autonomous), Mangaluru, in his session said “The NEP 2020 is a welcome move, which will help to propel India’s education system in the right direction. It is a progressive policy that recognizes the need of the hour and has certainly made bold and historic reforms towards enhancing quality of education and improving student learning outcomes. This policy gives absolute freedom to the students to choose the teachers and courses. It combines the futuristic vision for the country with its glorious past. It encourages a multi-dimensional skillset, builds upon traditions and values, focuses on cultural-linguistic diversity and different backgrounds, and emphasizes on breaking disciplinary boundaries and pedagogical change for cognitive-affective-life skill development of a student. While there are many aspects still to introspect, the charter is truly a testimony of quality discussion and deep thinking”.
Further, in his presentation he gave an overview to the new educational structure, shed light on the expected transformation in the regulatory system, effective governance and leadership, vision of Higher Education, Academic Bank Credit (ABC), 360 degree holistic Report Card, pros and cons of the new system, among others.
This was then followed by a Question and Answer session in which the teachers expressed their concerns and queries which were addressed by the speakers.
The President of the programme CA M. Vaman Kamath, Treasurer, Canara High School Association, Mangaluru, in his presidential address said “For the NEP to move forward, we need robust institutional mechanisms to support the policy. A great deal of capacity building is required along with creating enthusiasm among all the stakeholders. Unless the Institution and Educators develops a sense of ownership of the policy, the transformation will not take place. We need to move from fixed to growth mind sets in order to make sense of the new changes. Together, we must strive to realize the hopes, aspirations and dreams of our students to get them future ready. Moreover, teachers truly shape the future of young minds and, therefore, the future of our nation; thereby implying that teachers have a greater role and responsibility in nation building by creating high quality of human resources”.
Mrs. Savitha G. Acharya, Faculty, Dept. of Economics rendered the prayer song. IQAC Coordinators Mr. Hardik P. Chauhan delivered the welcome address and also introduced the Speakers to the gathering; Mrs. Dejamma A. proposed the vote of thanks. Mrs. Rashmi, Faculty, Dept. of Commerce was the Master of Ceremony for the programme. The programme concluded with the National Anthem.
A total of 60 participants including the faculty members of Canara Pre-University College, Mangaluru participated in this programme.
The workshop was indeed enriching and informative. It enabled the teachers to gain clear insights on the intent of the topic. It also fueled the participants with a new zeal to start working on its implementation in their own spheres.
The programme strived to promote the core value of contributing to the national development.
Report by:
Mrs. Dejamma A. and Mr. Hardik P. Chauhan
