Impact of National Education Policy on English Language

Introduction       

       The National Education Policy (NEP) of 2019 has been drafted with the aim of ensuring that education would be made available to each and every citizen 'capable of contributing largely to the intellectual framework of the country.' It also aims to create a just and equitable society. The Report of 'Learning: The Treasure Within' submitted by the International Commission on Education to UNESCO in 1996 argued that 'education throughout life was based on four pillars: i) Learning to know ii) Learning to do iii) Learning to live together and iv) Learning to be.' The NEP has also been drafted with a similar view that all learners should be academically, emotionally and socially competent thereby providing the learner with a holistic development.

            The NEP views early childhood care and education to be a part of the Foundational stage of school education. (ages 3-8), followed by a Preparatory phase (grades 3,4 & 5), and Middle school education (grades 6, 7 & 8) leading to a Secondary education phase (grades 9, 10, 11 & 12).

            In order to further facilitate high quality research, a new National Research Foundation (NRF) would be introduced to focus on funding research within the education system, primarily at colleges and universities. It would also be entrusted with the duty of building research capacity in universities and colleges through a formal mechanism of mentoring. Within the broad framework of the Policy, the States and Union Territories would be advised to formulate state-specific targets and education sector development programmes and establish intermediate targets by taking into account the past achievements.

Vision

            "The National Education Policy 2019 envisions an India centred education system that contributes directly to transforming our nation sustainably into an equitable and vibrant knowledge society, by providing high quality education to all."

School curriculum restructured

            The Foundational Stage will comprise five years of flexible, multilevel, play-based, activity-based, and discovery-based learning

The Preparatory Stage would mostly have generalist teachers, with the possible exception of some specialist language and art teachers. The aim of this stage will be to lay the general groundwork across subjects, including reading, writing, speaking, physical education, art, languages, science, and mathematics, so that students are prepared to delve deeper into learning areas through specialized subjects and subject teachers in the stages that follow.

The Middle Stage will comprise three years of education, building on the more formal pedagogical and curricular style of the Elementary Stage. It will have the introduction of specific subject teachers to enable learning and discussion of abstract concepts in that subject.

The Secondary Stage will comprise four years of multidisciplinary study, and will build on the subject-oriented pedagogical and curricular style of the Middle stage, but with greater depth, greater critical thinking, greater attention to life aspirations, and greater flexibility and student choice.

 

Implications/Benefits of NEP on English language and literature

            The Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) is entrusted with the responsibility of helping children learn alphabets and language along with a lot of other skills because it is believed that a great percentage of the brain development occurs before the age of six.

            They have planned to take some initiatives which would include designated 'language weeks' where children could participate in various activities and projects in languages. It also has decided on having regular 'language melas' where children can participate and explore their abilities in the subject , weekly language focused school assemblies, celebration of writers' anniversaries through language-related activities. In addition to this, it would encourage weekly activities around the library, such as story-telling, theatre, group reading, writing, and display of original writings and other art by children.

            Every child in grades 1-5 would be given a workbook for language in addition to the school textbook. The National Teacher's Portal (DIKSHA) would have a special section of high quality resources which would contain resources collated from across the country.

            NEP has intended to implement the use of the 'mother tongue/home language' as the medium of instruction in the early years of learning, a bilingual teaching approach later and also give an exposure to three or more languages in schools with the ability to recognize scripts and read basic text by grade 3. It is definitely good to introduce or expose children to various languages at an early stage. It is to be noted that it is not mentioned explicitly that the English language would be the medium of instruction as it has been followed so far in almost every part of India. NEP rather aims at ending the 'power structure of language' in the education and employment systems across the country at the earliest because it is felt that India failed to keep its native languages when most other technologically advanced countries have kept their own native languages as the medium of instruction and conversation in the fields of education, employment and everyday life.

            In order to bridge the gap between the economic strata of society and the rest of the country, English must also be made available and taught in a high quality manner at all government and non-government schools along with the native languages to India. Functionality and fluency should be emphasized. The medium of instruction and the study of literature, arts, and culture in the Indian context should be done through the local language/mother tongue.

            A system of Topic-centered and Project-based Clubs and Circles in Mathematics, Science, Music, Chess, Poetry, Language, Literature, Debate, Sports, etc. would be set up and funded in accordance with the needs of the student in different localities, in order to facilitate interests and talents of students around the country.

Higher Education

            They aim to make sure that there is a development of enlightenment, social conscious, knowledgeable and skilled nation to uplift people and solve problems. The NEP aims to have an inclusive and equitable education where everyone has access to education and can afford education irrespective of where they come from or what religion or community they belong to.

Legal transactions at the High Courts and Supreme Court would be continued to be done in English, in most States in India. State institutions offering law education would be asked to offer bilingual education for future lawyers and judges - in English and in the language of the State. To facilitate this, measures would be undertaken such as, inducting teachers who are well versed in the regional language as well as English, making text books and study materials available in both languages, and allowing students to write their examination in either medium. In addition to this, special teams would be set up for translating legal materials from the State language to English and vice-versa. Students who are fluent in both languages would also be invited/incentivized to contribute to the work.

English has become an international common language in science and technology research. Most journals around the world publish predominantly in English so it is necessary that students of science and technology are taught in English. According to the policy, 'students whose medium of instruction is the local/home language will begin to learn science bilingually in Grade 8 or earlier, so that by the end of Grade 10 they can speak about science both in their home language and English.' This would help these students have ease of communication and understanding of concepts.

Conclusion

The proposed policy of 2019 can be said to be doing good in many areas but as far as the English language is concerned, it has not been given much importance. The only area where the language would have some prominence would be in the field of law, science and technology. It is good to provide knowledge of the local/native languages but it is to some extent disappointing that English would not be considered as the medium for instruction in schools and colleges.

Reference

https://mhrd.gov.in/sites/upload_files/mhrd/files/Draft_NEP_2019_EN_Revised.pdf