Experts discuss pros & cons of draft National Edn Policy-2019 in Nalgonda

Nalgonda: Former State Junior Lecturers Association State president MV Gona Reddy asserted that Draft National Educational Policy- 2019 needed drastic changes.

Addressing the gathering at a symposium on 'Draft NEP-2019' at Government Women's College in Nalgonda on Wednesday, Gona Reddy said the draft had suggested some drastic structural changes like 5+3+3+4 pattern at school education merging +2 or Intermediate education with school education which was a radical departure from Kothari Commission's recommendation being implemented since 1968.

Introducing preprimary from 3 to 6 years at primary education was a welcome move that demanded allocation of extra funds, infrastructure besides recruitment of trained teachers. To make this a reality, RTE Act needs amendments to provide free and compulsory education to all from 3 to 18 years, he said.

Stating that the draft has also suggested demonstration class mandatory for recruiting teachers and promotions on merit basis and reports, radical reforms in higher education to create world class institutions and increasing gross enrolment to 50 per cent by 2035, Gona Reddy said to realise that strengthening of existing 800 universities and 40,000 colleges was needed but not merging them into 15,000 centers of excellence as it deprives many students of their legitimate right to quality education.

"It is also not advisable to treat private colleges on par with government institutions and empower private managements to decide their fee structure which may lead to commercialization," he said.

"On the whole, the draft is trying to centralise the administration under the umbrella called RSA ( Rastriya Siksha Ayog or National Education Commission) empowering the Prime Minister, Ministers and political leaders to have absolute control over autonomous bodies and weaken the democratic federal fabric of education system," he alleged.

Women's College in-charge principal Bhaskar Reddy, NG College principal Chandrashekar, retired Professor Sudarshan Rao and other guests discussed the pros and cons of NEP-2019 and its impact on education system.

Chegoni Ravi Kumar, S Raja Ram, Durga Prasad, D Venkat Ram Reddy, librarians and college students participated in the programme.