Re-establishing the role of Teacher - National Education Policy
Teachers Day is celebrated on September 5, the birthday of Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan, who is the former President of India, great philosopher, and educationist. On the same day in 2020, a new national education policy has been announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which is very similar to the most ratified and known first National Policy on Education, the Kothari Commission report on 1968.
In this new education policy, in addition to the education system, special emphasis has been given to the qualifications and training of teachers. Teachers are great role models for Children to mold their minds, ignite their imagination, and guide the path of achievements. In total teachers are liable for building a sustainable and responsible next generation.
The new policy re-establish teachers, empowered them with sufficient skills to shape the future effectively. Therefore in order to ensure the quality of education and accountability, this policy put forward the importance of teaching professions, and those who enter this position must have a great deal of passion and intelligence.
The NEP 2020 talks of creating performance standards for teachers by a proper aptitude test (Teacher Eligibility Tests) and courses at different levels of expertise and competencies required for that stage and refined the teachers accordingly. Additionally from this policy, post-career opportunities are possible for teachers and that creates a better team of teacher development and thereby a great bunch of good humans in prospects.
As per the ancient Indian culture, the aim of education is not just the acquisition of knowledge as preparation for life in this world or life beyond schooling, but for the complete realization and liberation of the self. Classical World-class universities such as Takshashila, Nalanda, Vikramila, and Vallabhi maintained high standards of multi-disciplinary teaching and research at that time, and the scholars of ancient India Charaka, Susruta, Aryabhata, Varahamihira, Bhaskaracharya, Brahmagupta, Chanakya, Chakrapani Datta, Madhava, Panini, Patanjali, Nagarjuna, Gautama, Pingala, Sankardev, Maitreyi, Gargi and Thiruvalluvar, are prominent ones who taught in this educational system.
The new Educational policy enlighted from this Classical one. They strive for multidisciplinarity and a holistic education across the sciences, social sciences, arts, humanities, and sports to ensure the unity and integrity of all knowledge.
Hereabouts Education is not only based on the principle of knowledge - the basic abilities of literacy and numbers, but also on the principle of developing higher-order cognitive abilities such as critical thinking and problem solving - as well as social, moral, emotional abilities and attitudes.
For this intellectual development in all aspects, teachers are primarily responsible. The NEP 2020 policy, therefore, ensures a better future because the foundation of the education system is being restored here from the roots, by empowering teachers.
Henry Adams had said, "A teacher affects eternity: he can never tell where his influence stops."; To make this, teachers should work hard, they must reassure their power and enthusiasm towards every field of learning and spread to the kids with the same spirit as theirs.
This is the time for teachers to experiment with innovative methods of teaching, insights into skill-oriented learning, practical approach to things, etc. Proud of the moment to be a teacher and witnessing the beautiful transition through your classrooms!