The world around us is constantly changing and so are the skills to survival in this dynamic world. With the advent of new technology and with Internet of Things (IOT) and AI (Artificial Intelligence) taking the centre stage, we need to develop our students with proper reasoning and creativity. In the present scenario education is not merely about propagation, dissemination or retention of knowledge but it is about producing moderate global citizens. It is believed that a focus on academic subjects alone does not do justice to human potential. As we are going through industry 4.0 and since it is coupled with machine learning and artificial intelligence, many jobs are bound to disappear, many new jobs are going to be created and many repetitive tasks will shift from manual labour to automation.
In order to enhance the learning potential and educational experience of the students, a broad based approach towards the teaching learning becomes paramount. It encompasses everything from the academic curriculum to music, drama, outdoor education, technology, community engagement, opportunities for performance, sports and the residential and spiritual life of the community. In combination, these various components represent the unique contribution we can make to shape the destiny of our young minds. There are different aspects of human development which value the balanced development of the whole person. This approach recognizes that we never really knowing from which of life’s rich varieties of experiences a young person might find their passion and purpose. For some it might come from the intellectual life. For others it might come from formative experiences outside of the classroom or the text-book. Education is most powerful when it sees significance beyond the academic curriculum, the grade-book and the examination hall. It is about shaping young lives, confronting the destructive modern patterns of materialism and self-centeredness and showing young people how to live what the ancient philosophers called the ‘good life’.
There are plenty of concrete benefits of extending the education beyond the classrooms, it helps students link what they are learning to the real-world activities, interests and issues. A study that focuses on students experiences with learning outside the classroom can improve a student’s personal, social, and emotional development. There are always some students who struggle with grasping and retaining new information and subjects. These students often become apathetic towards learning, which can quickly become detrimental to their lifelong success. Learning outside the classroom can help students approach lesson plans in new ways and provide valuable opportunities for additional help from educators. This ensures a burden free learning.
Cultural education deals with the development of all arts, music, language, literature, and world heritage. It contributes to knowledge transfer, personal development and participation in society. It enables children to develop certain talents and introduces them to aesthetics and ethics to express their feelings and assign meaning to the world around them. It enables children to discover ways of learning and communicating which are respectful to themselves and others. It promotes historical awareness, contributes to understanding individual identities and encourages creative, inquisitive attitudes that can benefit them throughout their lives. It is essential for teaching children and young adults to appreciate diversity and value differences. It has the potential to shape the future generation by fostering a more tolerant and inclusive society.
In a bid to implement all the provisions of NEP 2020 and to ensure the all around personality development of the school going children, the cultural Education and the related extracurricular activities have gained momentum since the last few years. More children from government and private educational institutions are participating in the events related to cultural education. The LG administration and the school education department have been honoring and felicitating the best performing students in various extracurricular activities at different levels. The Principal Secretary School education department and his team have been keen in streamlining the education system, especially the process of learning. Director school education Kashmir has been closely involved with the process of upgrading the teaching and learning skills of our students and teachers. Extracurricular activities are being shaped in a way to boost the overall learning skills of our young minds and create in them a sense of creativity and confidence.
Cultural education wing of the Directorate of school education Kashmir (DSEK) has been organizing numerous activities at zonal, district and divisional levels to provide the necessary platform to the school going children to express themselves and develop their skills, activity calenders are being issued from time to time and consequently many students have been able to participate and win at national and international levels in different competitions. New Education Policy 2020 has created new horizons for Language, Arts and Culture and increased the importance of Cultural Education in the schools and colleges. It suggests that all languages in India including their associated arts and culture should be documented through a web-based platform or portal in order to preserve all these languages and their associated rich local arts and culture. New education policy stresses on critical thinking and creativity to boost logical decision making and innovation. Learning for exams with rote memory has been discouraged. NEP 2020 not only focuses on holistic and multidisciplinary education but it also lays stress on curricular flexibility and multilingualism. The rigid distinction between academic and extracurricular activities has been discontinued and a multidisciplinary system of education is recommended.
To realize the advantages of NEP 2020 to develop both the cognitive as well as the social and emotional capacities, the cultural education and the relevant activities need to be popularized at school and college level. Some people are still under the illusion and a false impression that extracurricular activities are non academic and waste the time of the students, this propaganda based on such a false narrative has to be defeated. Carrying out or performing extracurricular or cultural activities are purely academic and an integral part of the teaching learning process. In the contemporary world scenario and especially under NEP-2020, education encompasses all the human values like ethics, empathy, respect, liberty, responsibility, equality and pluralism. Life skills such as communication, cooperation, teamwork and resilience are also part of the mainstream education system. Let the new generation learn beyond the books and classrooms to realize their full human potential and capacity.
(The Author is a freelance writer, columnist, and academician and can be reached at: [email protected])
