NIPUN BHARAT- A PROBLEM BRAEKER
Tell me and I forget, teach me and I remember, involve me and I learn-Benjamin Franklin
By: Gh. Hassan Bhat
Paul Friere, a Brazilian academician wrote a famous book ‘Pedagogy of the oppressed’ in which he gave a famous concept Banking Model of Education. Banking model is actually a model of education in which we deposit knowledge among learners, it is the method of memorizing things, repeat them and also considered as passive listening of teaching. Teachers in this model of education act as bank clerks who deposit and store knowledge among learners. Friere was against this system of education.
Our National Education Policy (NEP-2020) has a serious desire to transform the educational senerio is a way to fulfill the aspirations and new hopes of our country. It has come up with robust features to overcome some of the chronic issues of our education system. This policy clearly stresses about the quality education by engaging students for their holistic development through experimental and activity based education.
National Initiative for Proficiency in Reading with Understanding and Numeracy (NIPUN) is one of the decisive components of NEP-2020. This is of course a dream project for all teachers and students to develop all essential learning competencies among all the children at the end of G-III and attain all important foundational essential skills by the year 2026-2027.
Nipun Bharat Mission is best panacea to this banking model of education. NIPUN Bharat Mission is an alternate to boring and monotonous pattern of teaching. This mission envisions an enhanced education quality primarily by involving students in play way method of teaching, experimental teaching by involving them in discovery and activity based pedagogies of teaching learning process. This mission is aimed to develop serious critical thinking and exploring innovative ideas especially among Pry grade children from 3-9 years of age group. All children become self-reliant, motivated, and also engaged learners having curiosity and passion with all important skills is pivotal to this mission. It also encourages steep learningfor quality life as well.
This mission has a vision of universal acquisition of Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (FLN) to achieve the different learning and literacy competencies and skills like Reading, Writing, Listening and Speaking. Literacy is the ability to use and understand written words, written language, letters and sounds etc. After attaining these skills a child should be able to read at least 60 words per minute accurately and fluently. Development of Numeracy skills are equally important which includes basic mathematical skills like understanding of numbers, shapes, solving addition, subtraction, multiplication, measurement, time, sorting and all other simple calculations. These skills are integral for brain development and create logical and reasoned thinking among learners.
NIPUN Bharat mission is only dream without its execution on ground. It is best alternate to Banking model of education; Time has come to unfold this stout policy and implement this unique and problem breaker component of NEP-2020 by introducing it with learning communities.
State SCERTs, DIETs, teachers and all other stakeholders should work in collaboration to put into operation this mission on ground by making play, experimental, activity and discovery based learning a goal oriented method of teaching. Different capacity building programs should be conducted across the country to introduce this NIPUN among academic classes for its mass outreach. If this mission is properly implemented, it is certain that the dream of FRANKLIN ‘Involve me and I learn may come true’.
The writer is a Govt. Teacher, Resource PersonTangmarg, Baramulla Kashmir
