Educators play a key role as nation builders and today more than ever we need to provide learning opportunities to our students that will not just educate them but also skill them. We can no longer just don the role of knowledge providers — rather we need to rewrite the paradigms of conventional curricula and imbue learning with vocational and skill development opportunities.
A glorious future beckons our country, home to one of the oldest civilisations. Carrying immense wisdom, fortitude and resilience, owing to centuries of hardship, India today stands at a critical juncture. We can no longer rest on the laurels of an illustrious era and be complacent about the many noteworthy inventions and discoveries bestowed on the world by our resolute forefathers. To be the global vanguards, our youth need to unshackle themselves from casteism, inequality, hatred and discrimination that remain in the contemporary social fabric.
Our mythological stories abound with lessons in compassion, cooperation and unity paving the way for inclusive success. We as educators need to delve deeper into this very wisdom and sensitise our children. Educators play a key role as nation builders and today more than ever we need to provide learning opportunities to our students that will not just educate them but also skill them. We can no longer just don the role of knowledge providers — we need to rewrite the paradigms of conventional curricula and imbue learning with skill development opportunities.
India continues to contribute the largest number of qualified engineers and technologists to the global workforce even today. It is at the forefront of new technologies and will soon become the cradle of innovation. New ventures by Indian entrepreneurs are already making a mark in the global economy.However, many children still do not have access to quality education that will harness their inherent abilities and talent. We need to ensure that our children, growing up in villages and Tier-2 and 3 cities, do not lag behind and have the same access to opportunities as their counterparts in urban areas do. We need to develop digital models, consisting of apps, digital tutorial content and virtual teachers to ensure that no child is left behind. Our children also need vital lessons in wealth management, financial literacy and entrepreneurship to succeed in life.
Providing contemporary and relevant vocational learning opportunities to our children will motivate them to innovate. At our school, we have envisioned a perfect amalgamation of curricular and co-curricular pursuits along with an emphasis on vocational education and life skills. Experiential learning is facilitated through workshops and infrastructural adaptations, with provision for sensorial and medicinal gardens, learning centres and interactive walls. Research and project-based learning inculcate essential life skills. Integrated learning is implemented by incorporating art, music, dance and drama in curriculum transactions.
The vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat is shaped in the well-furnished Atal Tinkering Lab, where budding scientists design mobile and AI applications, drone technology and Arduino-programmed robotics applications using 3D design. Technology-integrated learning is enabled through wi-fi-enabled zones, Hi-Tech Interactive Panels, Digital Library and Microsoft education tools. Environmental conscientiousness is instilled through initiatives like Mission SDGs, tree plantation drives and paper recycling projects.
I envision an India where all children can grow up in an environment that fosters their holistic well-being and development, irrespective of their socio-economic status. A country where each child is safe from the many evils that still mar our society. Our nation stands at a pivotal point, buoyed by the aspirations of one of the largest youth populations, yet it could all go awry if we don’t effectively harness the passion, dreams and strength of our young citizens. What we do today as educators can just make all the difference.
The writer is principal, Bal Bharati Public School Dwarka and winner of the National Award for Teachers, 2021. This article is part of an ongoing series, which began on August 15, by women who have made a mark, across sectors
Source: Indian Express, 9/11/22
