NIPUN Bharat Mission (National Initiative for Proficiency in Reading with Understanding and Numeracy was launched by the union education ministry under the Samagra Shiksha scheme in a mission mode on 5th July 2021 aiming to address the critical gaps in early education. NIPUN Bharat Mission was aligned with NEP (National Education Policy) 2020. It is considered a cornerstone of a child’s future. The National Education Policy 2020 aligned with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is a historic, transformative and comprehensive document unveiled by the government of India on July 29, 2020. It replaced NPE (National policy on Education) 1986 (modified 1992) aiming to transform the education system in India and to make India a global knowledge superpower. According to National Education Policy 2020, developing basic skills in reading, writing and arithmetic in children at early years are very important because without basic skills particularly Foundational Literacy and Numeracy at the foundational level, most children will not progress academically in future. Early years of children are considered important as the future learning and development depends on early learning years. If the child’s foundation is laid strong at foundational years, then only his future of education is strong. According to experts, 85% to 90% of a child’s brain development takes place in early years. That is why NEP 2020 stresses more on early years of schooling. A child’s ability to read, write and numeracy at the foundational stage is a significant indicator of the quality of education in a country. According to a report by the National Council for Education Research and Training (NCERT) in 2019, more than 50 percent of class 3 students in India were unable to read a simple paragraph in their native language. According to experts, foundational literacy and numeracy is not only the first step towards a brighter future for every child but a gateway to acquire more knowledge and skills. NIPUN Bharat Mission aligned with NEP 2020 is the cornerstone of a child’s future. It was designed in such a way so that every child in classes 1 to 3 can acquire FLN (Foundational Literacy and Numeracy) skills in the country by the end of 2026.NIPUN Bharat Mission also encourages students to become proficient in their mother tongue. Research shows that children learn and understand better in their own mother tongue and consequently improves comprehension and retention. Apart from mother tongue, it also develops multilingual competence among learners. The NIPUN Bharat Mission flagship program creates a conducive and congenial learning environment for the learners at the foundational stage to ensure their desired learning competencies in reading, writing and numeracy. Strong foundation at foundational years will help to achieve broader goals outlined in the National Education Policy 2020. NIPUN Bharat Mission focuses on three developmental goals like health and wellbeing, effective communication and involved learning. NIPUN Bharat Mission emphasises experiential learning pedagogy particularly toy, fun and game based, storytelling, ICT integrated learning that train brains of children and develop in them essential foundational skills and keep them always in the class subsequently help in drop out reduction. It also improves their learning level, language and mathematical skills by way of play and experiential learning activities. It also helps in developing critical thinking among teachers and students. NIPUN Bharat makes the foundational learning experience holistic, enjoyable, interesting and engaging. NIPUN activities in schools at foundational years has positive impacts on academic performance, employability, economic growth and social equality. It makes the teaching learning process so interesting that every child grasps foundational and lifelong skills for holistic development. Lifelong skills in learners help to cope up with varied and complex challenges faced in 21st century.
“Implementation of NIPUN Bharat activities particularly on FLN develop strong foundational and lifelong skills in learners that can contribute significantly to sustainable development, inclusive growth, and help in addressing all societal issues.”
Learners with varied life skills also help the society in addressing various issues social, political, economic and environmental. It also helps children to connect with the immediate environment. Another significance of NIPUN activities in schools is that children count and understand the number system. They count objects, read and write numbers and perform basic mathematical operations like addition, subtraction, division and multiplication. Children observe and describe properties of 3D shapes (solids). They create and recite short poems and stories by using shapes and numbers. Children read texts with fluency, accuracy and comprehension. They write letters and words with comprehension. Traditional pedagogy at foundational level is now considered redundant and obsolete because it does not prepare children for 21st century challenges. Proper implementation of NIPUN activities in schools can create adaptable workers for the future job market. A good percentage of government teachers at primary and middle schools have shifted to innovative and holistic pedagogy of teaching that replaced traditional pedagogy focusing on content memorization. What would be the fate of students in a competitive and digital world if teachers rely on traditional methods of teaching ignoring FLN activities? It is the need of the hour for all teachers to shift to new holistic pedagogy at foundational level so that children attain basic competencies and skills. Innovative and holistic pedagogy is crucial for holistic development of learners and promotes their cognitive, physical, ethical, emotional and social wellbeing. It promotes critical thinking, problem solving, creativity and other essential skills to meet the evolving needs in a modern society. Activity based learning will create a conducive learning environment for the learners and thereby improve the quality of education. Children with foundational skills become good human beings aware of their roots, traditions, culture, rights and duties in a society. Schools where FLN activities are conducted as per NEP 2020 guidelines have become the vibrant learning centres. Such schools also conduct stress-free school-based assessment based on the performance of the children in a multitude of experiences and activities. Training institutes particularly SCERT and DIETS’ should conduct more training programmes for all teachers on FLN because training will improve the efficiency levels of teachers, which in turn is reflected in better learning outcomes of children. Trainers can empower teachers with advanced pedagogical skills that align with the National Curriculum Framework. Implementation of NIPUN Bharat activities particularly on FLN develop strong foundational and lifelong skills in learners that can contribute significantly to sustainable development, inclusive growth, and help in addressing all societal issues.
(The author is a teacher at Govt Boys High Secondary School Beerwah, Budgam. The views, opinions and conclusions expressed in this article are those of the author and aren’t necessarily in accord with the views of “Kashmir Horizon”)
Mushtaq Ahmad Wani
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