Touching upon the need to get over ‘colonial hangover’ in education, Vice President Venkaiah Naidu stressed that Indian historical figures must be cherished and celebrated and their stories must be included in school curriculum. ‘The British left a long time ago, but we are still following the Macaulay’s system’, he added.
Participating in the 10th edition of The New Indian Express’ ‘ThinkEdu’ Conclave in Chennai, Naidu stressed the need for ‘thinking through our vision of education and how we can make our country a ‘learning nation’’.
Referring to the National Education Policy (NEP 2020) as a blueprint to transform the education landscape in India, Naidu stressed the need for holistic education and opening up of new avenues of employment to the country’s youth. “We must make education more integrated, multi-disciplinary and relevant”, the Vice President added.
Naidu said that education must become an instrument of national transformation. He said that education should help build citizens who are perceptive, receptive and communicative, who are thinking and feeling individuals, who have the passion for acquiring knowledge as well as the compassion to use that knowledge for making the world a more liveable place.
He called for harnessing technology to enhance access and quality of learning. Referring to how the pandemic has opened new frontiers for the transmission of knowledge, Naidu said that ‘Digital tools have made learning more engaging and interactive’. He called for exploring the new possibilities in technology while also addressing the widening digital divide.
Lauding the contribution of teachers in the country in ensuring continuity of learning during the pandemic, Naidu said that they kept the learning process alive by swiftly shifting to online mode. “They had kept the learner at the centre of their noble mission and minimized the learning losses”, he added.
He observed that education in mother tongue, at least until the primary level, will boost learning outcomes in children and connect them with their intangible heritage. He also called for using local languages as the language of the administration and judiciary.
Naidu suggested that a ‘focus on ancient systems of knowledge as well contemporary advances like artificial intelligence, and the emphasis on skill education is likely to fast track India’s progress towards an ‘assertive country’’.
An ‘assertive nation’ is one that can be built only on the foundation of quality education encompassing a wide knowledge base and a whole range of skills, Shri Naidu reiterated. “Quality education is the most promising pathway to the ‘New India’ we are dreaming of.”
