Covid-19 pushed education to innovate; now is the time to cash in on that innovation dividend and build an effective education system that better meets the needs of our students
Not just recovery; we need to lean into reinvention. As we head into a post-pandemic era in 2023, it is an opportune time to reimagine the future of education in India. If we confine our efforts to merely ‘recovering’ from the pandemic, we will not be able to move beyond the standards of the past (which, in any case, were lacking on several crucial counts.
Instead, we should focus on creating an education system that can equip students for the new normal that has emerged in the wake of the Covid-19 years – the world that is, not the world that was.
Yes, the redesign would require dramatic innovation and change.
However, the good news here is that the pandemic has proven that our schools can execute rapid and significant change when faced with a challenge. If we continue to build upon this momentum – focus on what we know works and find ways to foster further innovation – we can achieve some truly massive improvements.
Listed here are four key aspects that we need to address to ensure that the education we provide remains relevant in the future too:
Resetting goals for student success
What unites the highest-performing schools is a focus on helping students develop a reliable compass and the tools they need to navigate a complex, turbulent and fluctuant world confidently.
These abilities are far more essential to ensure success in today’s context than mere content specialisation. Content is likely to become outdated. However, if students are equipped with the tools they need to adapt and learn new skills quickly, they will thrive despite uncertainty.
So, to future-proof student success, our goal should be to create lifelong learners, not just content specialists.
Providing accessible, inclusive and flexible learning at scale
Equity and inclusion in education remain high on the policy docket in 2023. And leveraging the educational innovations and virtual learning models that emerged during the pandemic is the perfect way to achieve this goal.
India’s policymakers need to bridge the digital divide among students. Closing the gap will enable them to use online tools such as video conferencing, learning management platforms, and virtual classrooms to make learning accessible to vulnerable and marginalised communities.
Digital learning platforms can also help India overcome the supply-demand imbalance that hamstrings its educational system. Currently, demand for quality education far outstrips supply. However, innovative approaches such as asynchronous learning and hybrid models can help us provide good education at a far broader scale.
Shifting from qualification-oriented to skill-focussed education
Colleges and workplaces today expect students to come equipped with the skills they need to succeed, so schools need to shift their focus from qualification to skill acquisition.
Providing exposure from an early stage via different formats can play a vital role here. Educational institutions can explore a combination of techniques:
− Encouraging and providing access to volunteering and internship opportunities so that students can build their social capital and get better access to higher education and workforce opportunities
− Implementing learning programs designed to inculcate soft skills such as critical thinking, communication, collaboration, problem-solving and creativity.
− Placing value on attributes such as resilience and curiosity
− Fostering project-based learning
− Creating experiences outside the formal classroom setting to fortify and supplement what students learn in school
− Investing in career guidance and mentorship programmes
Ensuring quality teaching
Teaching no longer draws quality talent. It doesn’t even draw enough to fill the ranks. This has caused a situation where acute teacher shortages afflict the education landscape in India.
It is imperative to rectify this situation. Not only do policymakers have to ensure that teachers receive adequate remuneration, but they also need to foster a culture where educators are encouraged to upskill and pursue continuous professional development.
Covid-19 pushed education to innovate. Now is the time to cash in on that innovation dividend and build an effective education system that better meets the needs of our students.
