Govt must pay heed to multiple industry experts’ suggestions on student and educational institution subsidies for laptops, mobile phones and learning tablets. | Photo by picjumbo.com from Pexels
There have been many discussions about the effect of the pandemic onaccelerating digital advances. No sector has been as affected as the Indian education system, which has been grappling with online learning for the last 2 years. From adapting existing courses to an online training format, as well as the introduction of the personal learning cloud as a key differentiator, traditional learning models are being replaced entirely by new and improved modular, digital-driven higher education systems.
Our Engineering education ecosystem was already struggling to be future-ready even before the pandemic. The Education ministry and the AICTE were working on long-term reforms which are still underway – the new education policy, for instance. Its implementation at various levels has been greatly dependent on how educational institutions have focused on continuing the learning in an online mode.
One overarching theme for the pandemic has been resilience, and this is true of education, as well. While institutions and teachers across the country rose up to the challenge of the ‘learn-from-home’ model, and started delivering lessons online, there’s much left to be desired on the infrastructure and support front.
Internet and supporting infrastructure
While the world talks of bespoke learning and skill building systems using online skill-building tools and platforms such as upGrad, edX, Coursera, Udacity, Udemy, Unacademy and the IET’s Academy, it is the basics that we need to address in the short-term. The continuing challenges of bandwidth and internet penetration are more visible now – especially in tier 2 and tier 3 cities. Internet infrastructure needs immediate attention and the government will have to pay heed to multiple industry experts’ suggestions on student and educational institution subsidies for laptops, mobile phones and learning tablets.
Training the teacher
Given the suddenness and immediacy with which the pandemic hit us, you could argue that the teachers are doing the best they can. But two years down the line, we need to examine how we can support and enable them better. The remote learning environment allows disengaged students to switch off from classes which do not interest them – all without the teacher even realising it. Additionally, students are being exposed to online classes from the best teachers across the world – allowing them to compare what they are getting to better options. Training and upskilling the teachers is the need of the hour. Empowering them to be the frontline agents of change for NEP, and helping them get ahead of their students should be a key part of the concerted efforts around education in the coming years.
Focus on mental health
With multiple staggered lockdowns, sudden changes in home environments, and generalised stress and anxiety around Covid, the state of mental health across rungs of society has been in focus. Add to that, a new learning environment, heightened academic pressure and decreased social interactions due to physical distancing – students and their mental health should now be part of the mainstream dialogue that needs attention. Our education programmes need to factor in the mental health and wellbeing of students – across age groups and educational institutions will need to be sensitised to deal with these challenges. Teachers need to be trained on identifying students who may need extra attention – especially those who may have anxiety and depression, which can often go undetected even under the best of circumstances. Provisions will need to be made to address these concerns specifically.
One of the more encouraging things in this sector, is the adoption of new education technologies which have performed great during the last year. Many of these technologies can have a massive impact on the way education unfolds. I look forward to supporting mechanisms that can help these technologies scale. Until access to credit and taxation issues in this sector are revisited, it is mostly impossible to scale nationally for these players and they will need some push from the government.
Over the last two years, the pandemic has seen advances in many areas of education, such as improved digital literacy, increased student engagement, automated grading, staying in touch 24X7, publishing and displaying student work, and the personal learning cloud. In many ways, the challenges we face today are very different from the ones that the new NEP set out to solve. To a great extent, these stem from the need for special budgetary allocations towards implementing the ambitious new policy in a way that will help create lasting impact. It is my hope that these will be specifically addressed in the upcoming Union Budget.
(The writer is Country Head and Director, IET India)
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