IMPHAL December 19: The second State Level Consultative Committee Meeting on the New Education Policy was held today at the Multipurpose Hall, SCERT Lamphelpat.
The programme started almost two hours behind schedule as the State Education minister, who was the chief guest of the function, arrived late.
Commissioner Higher & Technical Education SCERT P Vaiphei and secretary Education (S) H Deleep Singh who is also chairman BOSEM SPD SSA & RMSA Manipur attended the function as the president and guest of honour respectively.
Speaking on the occasion, Vaiphei explained the background and the objective of the consultation which is to pool in the State specific recommendations for dovetailing with the overall national policy at a later stage of the draft.
“It is significant to partake in this exercise of a New Education Policy which will replace the existing policy which was drafted in 1986 with modifications in 1992. It is a policy that will define the future of the next generation in regard to management, access, quality and quantity education” he observed.
He also informed that further suggestions, comments, proposals and inputs for the New Education Policy can be submitted at educom.manipur@gmail.com and cartherw@gmail.com.
Various thematic group discussions were held in two classifications mainly School and Higher Education moderated by Prof Y Mohindro and former vice chancellor Manipur University Prof C Amuba.
The group discussions on Higher Education were conducted on governance reforms for quality, ranking of institutions and accreditations, improving the quality of regulation, pace setting roles of central institutions, improving state public universities, integrating skill development in higher education, promoting online courses, opportunities for technology enabled learning, addressing regional disparity, bridging gender and social gaps, linking higher education to society, developing the best teachers, sustaining student support systems, promoting cultural integration through language, meaningful partnerships with private sector, financing of higher education, internationalisation of higher education, engagement with industry to link education to employability, promoting research and innovation and new knowledge.
The themes for School education were Ensuring learning outcomes in elementary education, Extending outreach of secondary and senior secondary education, Strengthening of vocational education, Reforming school examination systems, Revamping teacher education for quality teachers, Accelerating rural literacy with special emphasis on women, SCs, STs, & Minorities through adult education and national open schooling systems, Promotion of information and communication technology systems in school and adult education, School standards school assessment and school management systems, Enabling inclusive education especially for education of SCs, STs, minorities and children with special needs, Promotion of languages, Comprehensive education in regard to ethics, physical education, arts & crafts, life and Focus on child health.
The consultation was a joint effort of several departments namely Education(Schools), State Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) Society, State Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA) Society, Higher & Technical Education, State Council for Education Research & Training, Adult Education, Directorate of Language Planning & Implementation, Board of Secondary Education, Manipur and Council Of Higher Secondary Education Manipur.
