National Education Policy is a boon to Telangana: Governor

Hyderabad, Sept 7: Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan said on Monday that the National Education Policy-2020 is a boon to a new State like Telangana, which has potential to emerge as the education hub of the country.

She said that greater coordination between the Centre and the States in effective implementation of the NEP-2020 will transform India as the Knowledge Powerhouse, as envisaged by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Tamilisai Soundararajan, in her speech at the Governors Conference on “Role of NEP-2020 in Transforming Higher Education,” organised by the Ministry of Education, Government of India, stated that the NEP would reform and transform the present education system, where 20th century teachers are teaching and training 21st Century students by using the 19th Century tools as pointed out by an academician.

She said that the NEP-2020 is futuristic and will enable the training of 21st century future-ready global citizens with strong Indian roots and will promote innovation and research through multi-disciplinary approach.

Referring to the teaching in mother tongue at primary levels, the Governor called for the positive propagation of the issue and added that learning in mother tongue will create innovative thinkers and helps in the development of brain faculties among the children.

Expressing concern over the huge number of vacancies in teaching and non-teaching positions and the non-filling up of vice-chancellor posts, the Governor suggested for the time-bound recruitment to all the positions in order to facilitate the effective implementation of NEP-2020.

Elaborating on the introduction of Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) in the policy, Tamilisai Soundararajan stated that education with nutrition would create healthy nation.

Reiterating her ‘4 E mantra’ i.e,. Enjoy, Educate, Employ and Empower to make education vibrant and meaningful, the Governor quoted legendary saint Thiruvalluvar who said that “We get more water as we dig more. Similarly we get more knowledge as we teach more.”  

She stated that the Telangana will take the initiative in implementing the policy and will emerge as the front runner and added that she already conducted a series of webinars with universities’ functionaries, eminent personalities in education aimed at creating better awareness about the NEP-2020 in the State.

Earlier, the President of India Ram Nath Kovind delivered the inaugural address, followed by address by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Union Minister of Education Ramesh Pokhriyal gave the welcome address.

Governors and Lt Governors, Ministers of Education of different states and UGC chairman Prof. DP Singh, NEP draft committee chairman Dr. K. Kasturi Rangan and a host of vice-chancellors and academic administrators took part in the day-long online conference.