The National Independent Schools Alliance (NISA) Wednesday accused the government of India of implementing the new education policy (NEP)-2019 in haste.
Addressing a joint press conference here, president NISA,Kulbashan Sharma said that government of India took three years to preparedraft NEP-2019 “but is now in a hurry to implement it without taking majorstakeholders on board”.
“The government wants us to understand the voluminousdocument of over 400 pages in few days. We should be given at least two months’time to understand the policy and give our feedback,” Sharma said.
The NISA is an amalgam of over 43 associations of privateschools from various states and has our three lakh students associated with allthese schools.
“The policy has been drafted under a well-plannedconspiracy. No teacher or academician was taken on board before finalizing thedraft of the policy,” he said.
The draft NEP-2019 was recently released by the governmentof India wherein it has come with new components and modification in theeducation sector.
The draft has been put in public domain for feedback andsuggestions.
“The NEP is confusing for a common person. The documentlooks like a discussion rather than a concrete policy,” Sharma said andquestioned the government of India for being in hurry to implement the newpolicy.
“Give stakeholders more time to discuss and react to thepolicy,” he told media reporters here.
Under the new policy the government of India has categorizedthe private schools in one category which has been opposed by the privateschools association saying that the private schools should be categorized onthe basis of available facilities and other standards maintained by theschools.
“As per the new policy, the education sector will be underRashtriya Shiksha Ayog (RSA) headed by the Prime Minister. It will definitelycut to size the MHRD and education department. This move will prove detrimentalfor educational governance infrastructure all over India,” he said, adding thatthe government of India should define the role of other institutions, “ifeverything will be controlled by the PM headed RSA.”
The national school body also castigated the government ofIndia for its move to keep B Ed as integrated after class 12th.
Under this the B Ed degree will be a four to five yearcourse for the candidates and aspirants opting for teacher posts will have toqualify the teacher eligibility test (TET) as well.
“If B Ed will be an integrated course then why is TET? It ismajor flaw in the policy. Does it mean that earlier courses like B Ed are notup to the mark,” Sharma asked.
The NSIA president said the government has kept focus onlyon students in the policy while as no concern has been shown for the safety ofteachers and school principal.
“If they are more concerned about students then they shoulddraft the policy in such a way so that the students won’t remain dependent onprivate tuitions. The government should start direct bank transfer (DBT) forstudents and allow them to choose the school of their own choice,” Sharma said.
Under DBT, the students are provided with a cash voucher andgiven a choice to enroll in the school of his choice.
The NSIA president also slammed the government for its poorimplementation of the previous education policies which he said createdimpediments in growth of education sector.
President Private Schools Association of J&K (PSAJK), GN War was present at the press conference.