Push for systematically improving the indices of teaching-learning process, effective implementation of NEP-2020: Advisor Bhatnagar

JAMMU: Advisor to Lieutenant Governor, Rajeev Rai Bhatnagar today asked the officers of the School Education Department to work in the direction of systematically improving the different indices in teaching-learning process besides effective implementation of National Education Policy-2020 (NEP- 2020) across the schools of UT of Jammu and Kashmir. The Advisor made these remarks while reviewing the performance of the Department in a meeting at Civil Secretariat here which was attended by Directors of both the provinces, Project Director, Samagra Shiksha, Chairperson JKBOSE and other concerned officials of the department both in person and through video conferencing. Speaking during the meet, the Advisor emphasised on the officers that there are set parameters devised by different national and international bodies to assess the teaching-learning outcomes. They should not restrict their activities to surveys only but work for improving the overall outcomes using the finding of these surveys. Highlighting the need of holding training sessions for teachers, Advisor Bhatnagar said that teachers need retraining and upskilling. He asked the department to hold specific training sessions for each group of teachers as per their ability and requirements. He advised them to set a target of pushing each of them to a certain standard of quality for better learning outcomes among pupils they teach. The Advisor also asked the officers to assess the fruitfulness of training sessions by assessing the capacity building of each trainee. He asked them to devise institutional mechanism of assessing performance and abilities of teachers that is simultaneously reformative in nature. While asking the department to figure out the infrastructural requirements at pre- primary level, Advisor Bhatnagar directed the officers to factor out the reasons for drop-outs at upper primary/middle level. He also stressed on them to close the gender gap in the student enrolment.He also remarked that the department will be held responsible and accountable for learning outcomes and timely creation and maintenance of infrastructure.The Advisor also encouraged the officers to include those vocational courses in curriculum which possess relevancy and recognition outside the UT. He asked them to provide certification from appropriate agencies to the candidates pursuing these courses so that they are able to secure jobs on these newly learnt skills. While assessing the surveys carried out by the department on learning gaps accrued due to Covid-19 pandemic, Advisor Bhatnagar directed the officers to address all the deficiencies highlighted therein and start remedial classes or teacher training modules as per the suggestions of experts. During the meeting, the Advisor was informed that in the recently held mega enrolment drives about 1.5 lakh new admissions were done in the schools of the UT. It was also given out that kindergartens are being started as per NEP-2020 besides dozens of training courses are also being started for upgrading the skills of teachers. It was further revealed in the meeting that the drop-out rate of J&K stands at 3.91 for Primary, 3.2 for upper primary and 16.7 for High school students which is lower than the national average of 4.6, 4.8 and 18.6 respectively for above categories of classes. It was also informed that the net enrollment ratio for J&K is 81.73, 47.12, 29.32, 29.00 at Primary, upper primary, high and higher secondary level respectively.