The manner in which National Education Policy (NEP) has been designed poses a threat to equality in education, and therefore, it needs to be revised to formulate a “people’s education policy”, said educationists at a State-level education convention organised by the All India Save Education Committee (AISEC) on Friday at Bengaluru.
Speaking on the occasion, Prof. Sukhdeo Thorat, former Chairman of University Grant Commission (UGC), criticised NEP-2020 as a hurriedly implemented policy that does not advocate an equitable and just educational foundation. It has been largely devised to privilege few, he said.
Prof. A Murigeppa, former Vice Chancellor, Hampi University, said that we need additional vocational and skill-oriented training to empower youth. Michael Williams, Secretary, Forum of Minority Schools, New Delhi, said, “The Union government hurriedly implementing the NEP during the pandemic where there was less to no chance of conducting deliberations, consultations with experts for its organic enactment. There are seven versions of the NEP and we still don’t know that to choose which only adds that it’s a confused mess.”
Dr. M.C. Sudhakar, Minister for Higher Education, alleged that the Union government has straight away copied the NEP from the western education system. The NEP does not consider children who hail from Dalit or minority communities, he added. Madhu Bangarappa, Minister for the Department of School Education and Literacy, and Dr. H.C. Mahadevappa, Minister for Social Welfare, also spoke at the convention.
