The Prime Minister (PM) of India, Narendra Modi made an announcement on the occasion of Teachers’ Day to upgrade 14,500 schools nationwide under the Pradhan Mantri Schools for Rising India (PM-SHRI) programme. He further mentioned that these schools would be equipped with modern facilities like labs, smart classrooms, sports equipment etc and implementation of NEP 2020 as the focus of the curriculum.
Innovative Pedagogy
Unlike traditional schools, these schools will emphasise imparting hands-on, inquiry-based, collaborative and holistic education. A flexible curriculum, discussion-based teaching and achieving desired learning outcomes for all students regardless of their learning level will take centre stage.
Implementing NEP 2020
The schools will capture the true essence of National Education Policy 2020 and serve as true models for other schools to implement the guidelines laid down by the policy. Furthermore, formative assessments will be held regularly by qualified teachers to test students’ conceptual understanding and the application of acquired knowledge to real-life situations.
Read more about the National Education Policy 2020.
Overcoming Learning Gaps
The education system took a hit during the pandemic due to the inability to switch effectively to online learning. Implementing technology in classrooms helps mitigate the learning loss and empowers them to effectively imbibe 21st-century skills envisaged by NEP 2020. Towards this end, the PM Shri School scheme seems like a step in the right direction. If these model schools can be effectively implemented and set the benchmark for NEP 2020 execution, they can serve as proof that technology in education is the way forward.
