NEP 2020 Implementation Check List

We shall get our Educational Institutions ready for NEP 2020 implementation even as the National Curriculum Framework is almost ready. If we have been trendsetters thus far, let us ensure that we continue to be.

School Sector:

1. Every school needs to be having classes starting for students of age 3+ to completion of class 12. So if you don’t have the ECCE (early child care and Education) classes before class one or if you have classes only up to class ten, be prepared to start the classes that are not there. This may require an infrastructural add-on, an amalgamation of classes under the same management and same name and same affiliation if functioning in separate locations or even under different names or under different supervision.

2. There is nothing called junior college or higher secondary. A school is not complete without the plus two. How soon the expansion if needed, will have to be done will depend on the policies of the state as well.

3. Change to 5+3+3+4 system from the old 10+2+3 system I e. Foundational stage (5), preparatory (3), middle (3), secondary (4). If you already have nursery and KG classes and plus two the makeover is only notional and nominal.

4. Check on teacher qualification compliance for the various sections (Foundational, preparatory, middle, and secondary). This will be state-specific and under different names in different states e.g. TTC, DLED, ECCE training, TET, SET, B.Ed. etc.

5. Check on your preparedness to introduce/integrate choice-based 3rd language, classical language (Indian/ Foreign), and Vocational education from class 6 onwards.

6. Get prepared and plan to move into a new continuous assessment mode without examination up to the completion of class 8 if you are not already having a system in place.

7. Get ready and plan toward a census assessment at the end of classes 3, 5, and 8 which is to help students and teachers to understand the level of learning outcome rather than to evaluate the students per se. There is less clarity about this as of now… it could be internal or by an external assessor and less likely to be by the examination board.

8. Be prepared to move into the General Education mode (Liberal Arts type or allowing choice of subjects not necessarily stream-based) from class 9 onwards. So, decide on what subjects you will offer in your institution from the exhaustive list of majors and electives suggested.

9. Be prepared to move into a semester-wise mode of syllabus preparation, preparation of lesson plans by teachers, and assessments for the secondary stage (classes 9 to 12).

10. Get ready to move into blended teaching and assessment/ evaluation mode: online, offline, ICTbased, digital, experiential, project-based, assignment based, learning outcome-based, and possibly with STEAM education incorporated.

11. Get ready to depart from the conventional mode of rot memory-based assessment to applicationbased, case study-based, assignment-based, project-based, presentation-based, and open book-based assessments.

12. Plan to introduce play-based, activity-oriented, toy and games pedagogy in the foundational and preparatory stage (age 3+ to class 2 and classes 3 to 5) and thereafter in the middle school use collaborative teaching, using scaffolding, escape rooms, sensory learning, ICT enabled and experiential teaching-learning methodologies. While for the secondary stage (classes 9 to 12) use inquiry-based, stimulation (phet interactive simulation) aided, project/assignment based, group discussion based, debate based interactive teaching-learning processes with visits, guest lectures, and using language and Maths. labs, AI, robotics, coding, and empowering the students to work in teams to correlate and integrate experientially the various subjects taught through STEAM education.

13. Get ready to introduce scientifically proven and universally accepted methods of your choice e.g. Montessori, Reggio Emilia, Waldorf, Bank Street, etc. to allow children to grow and glow at the foundational stage (age3+ to class 5) instead of sticking to the conventional methods currently followed for the tender age group that does more harm than good.

14. Make arrangements to empower teachers to help students to pick out the core concepts from a lesson or a chapter they are learning as only core concepts will be included for assessments by the examination boards.

15. Make arrangements to empower teachers to teach students a proper personal study method (SQ3R or others…) so that they can effectively study without having to spend too much study time and avoid having to take tuitions.

16. Plan to organize remedial classes for weaker students so that every child can be empowered to go to the next class without having to detain any student in the same class.

17. Prepare to initiate/integrate peer learning opportunities in school either during class hours or after for students, as some students learn better with such a process in a non-threatening atmosphere.

18. Empower teachers who will in turn help students to use free open source Learning Management Systems available online like Moodle LMS, Forma LMS, Open edX, ELMS Learning Network, Canvas LMS, etc. (Get familiar also with e-learning & training platforms of the Govt. Diksha, Manodarpan, Swayam, etc.)

19. Empower teachers on how to prepare the new type of 360-degree descriptive report cards for students which will include self-assessment, peer assessment, teacher assessment, and parents’ assessment.

20. Empower teachers to prepare and get ready curriculum mapping, teachers’ handbook, experiential learning projects, a repository of teaching strategies with question banks, a calendar of critical thinking activities, improvised learning progress templates, and a repository of Teaching-Learning Materials.

21. Prepare as to how you will form or function in a school complex/ school hub and network with the neighbouring institutions and share faculties and resources especially for teaching classical language, skill training, vocational education, art, music, sports, yoga etc. using the hub-and-spoke model if such facilities cannot be provided in each school.

22. Train the staff on children’s safety and the method of positive disciplining without the use of punishment through persuasion, encouragement, and positive reinforcement (adhering to POCSO and JJ Act, etc.). Training the staff to practice our own friendly presence and continuous supervision (A preventive system of education) would be the best way.

23. Get the infrastructure ready and staff trained to take care of children with disability as all schools will be required to admit children with disability in compliance with the RPWD (Right of Persons with Disability) Act and the provision in NEP 2020. Short-term and long-term courses are available.

24. Put in place the Educative Community Council, in case you don’t have it already, with representatives from all stakeholders (management, Staff, Parents, Teachers, students, and others) as is demanded by the Church Policy / Congregation’s Policy (EPCC/ ECC) and now by NEP 2020.

25. Organize the necessary trained staff and infrastructure/equipment and facilities for the vocational education programmes that you intend to open up for the students of your institution from class 6 onwards. You can also share the facilities available in the institutions in the neighbourhood on a huband-spoke model. 26. Become aware of the facility of SEZ (Special Education Zone) being offered to areas where SEDGs (Socially and Economically Disadvantaged Groups ie. Tribals, SC/BC, etc.) of people live. Plan to utilize the scholarships offered, hostel facilities, transport, uniforms, and other opportunities proposed in NEP 2020