As the education secretary, Prasad Lolayekar, a 2014-batch IAS officer, has been at the forefront of the implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) in Goa. The policy aims to usher in significant reforms and revitalise the educational landscape. “There was some confusion but now all stakeholders are on board,” he tells Team TOI. Edited excerpts from Townhall With TOI
There has been some confusion about the NEP. Could you explain the policy’s implementation in a nutshell?
The NEP is a vast topic.
When we say that the NEP is being implemented, it is the curriculum that is being implemented at various levels. But there are many other aspects. At the school education level, as far as the curriculum is concerned, there are three documents one should go through to know how the NEP is to be implemented. First is the National Curriculum Framework, second is the National Credit Framework, and third is based on the National Credit Framework with the Union education ministry giving a task to the CBSE to frame a different type of credit framework for implementation across India. Based on all these documents, we have constituted one task force committee at various levels.
1,200 credits hours explained
At the secondary level, based on those documents, this task force committee has created or drafted a specific state curriculum framework. Based on this state curriculum framework, we are implementing the NEP. From 2027-28, we will complete the entire cycle (from preschool to Class XII of the
NEP implementation
). A student has to complete 1,200 credit hours (in Class IX). Teachers thought they have to teach for 1,200 hours in the classroom. No. We have to fill this gap with fieldwork, assignments, and projects…whatever students do concerning academics at home will also be considered as credit hours. So, all project work, project hours, fieldwork, assignments etc. will be considered as credit hours. That is the main idea of the NEP.
The second confusion emerged when a few people thought that school timings would be changed. If any institution wants to go for full-time school, that option is available. That does not mean we are forcing any school to go full-time, so school timings and school hours will remain the same. However, for effective implementation, if any management wants to choose full-day school, the freedom is given to them.
Did the NEP implementation spur resistance from students and teachers?
Not exactly. At the higher education level, we have not had any resistance. In school education, only a few people are resisting, but I don’t know what their basic issue is because they are not able to tell us. From the parents’ side or from the students’ side, at large, there is no resistance.
What about teachers?
They too (are on board). Now, we have taken everyone on board. For Class IX, we are adopting the NCERT syllabus in toto for science and maths. Not only in Goa, but across the country, the syllabus has been adopted in toto for science and maths. If you check, the NCERT syllabus is better than any worldwide. But we lack in the teaching approach. Now, the approach will be changed. It will be more experiential teaching-learning and outcome-based teaching-learning. It means that students’ competency will be tested continuously.
Will the question paper pattern change?
Yes, now the semester system will be in place (in Class IX). The first semester’s paper will be set by the Goa Board while the evaluation will be done by the school concerned. Secondly, the question paper will be of 80 marks. Out of 80, 40 marks will be earmarked for multiple-choice questions. The first impression is that multiple-choice questions mean an easy exam. No. Questions won’t be memory-based. They will be all application-based questions, so that students get trained in answering competitive exams such as JEE and NEET from Class VI itself. The other 40 marks will be for subjective questions. The remaining 20 marks are for assignments, projects, and fieldwork.
Will schools be given sample question papers?
Yes. All (teachers) will be provided training. Right now, training is under way subject-wise for master trainers. These master trainers will in turn go to all schools and train the subject teachers.
Teachers have said the NEP implementation in Class IX was announced in May when schools reopen in June. Could the announcement have been made earlier?
The first meeting with all school heads was held in March. They were categorically told that we are going for the implementation of the NEP from this academic year. And secondly…unless you implement it, you will not know what difficulties and problems you face. All these are practical problems when you actually go for the implementation.
But wouldn’t a year’s notice have helped?
Yes, could be. That is why from this year we will announce everything by Nov. Now we are holding frequent meetings. We will interact not only with heads of institutions but also with all stakeholders.
What measures have you planned for students to cope with the transition?
We are not changing the curriculum or syllabus drastically. Only the approach of teaching-learning will be changed first, then slowly the standard will be enhanced. If we change the standard immediately, students will be lost.
Ensured slow transition for students's benefit
The success of the NEP will depend on the feeling students get that the education they were receiving yesterday and the education they are experiencing now is completely different, and that there is a qualitative change. Only then can we say that we have effectively implemented the NEP. Otherwise, on paper, we can do many things.
Parents feel that while school hours and class periods have expanded, pedagogy has not changed. Don’t you think learning is getting boring for students?
We are now providing training to all teachers whether or not they are teaching Class IX. We are providing different types of training. One is experiential teaching-learning. Currently, experiential teaching-learning for science and maths teachers is taking place at Indian Institute of Science (Bengaluru). The second batch will be (trained) in Sep-Oct. This will happen for a year because from next year, we are establishing all those laboratories at SCERT. Indian Institute of Science is a consultant, guiding us to establish the laboratories. We are also providing subject-wise training from the NCERT on outcome-based education, how to test competency, and how to map whether that outcome has been achieved. I feel that by and large, our teachers are quite good, what they lack is exposure.
Many kids are used to screen time right from infancy. How challenging is it for a teacher to engage a child for 45 minutes?
Why do students bunk classes? Because the alternative is better than classroom teaching. When your classroom teaching will be a better alternative to mobile or any other electronic device, students will be happy with classroom teaching.
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