CHENNAI: Assuaging ruffled feelings in Tamil Nadu over the draft New Education Policy, Union Human Resource Development Minister Prakash Javadekar on Saturday clarified that the draft is not final draft but posted on the MHRD website to seek suggestions.
"The ministry will prepare a final draft,", he said at the national convention on education organised by Bharatiya Jain Sangathana here.
On challenges faced by the education system, Javadekar said 270 million students are studying from KG to post graduation. "We have achieved the quantity but we need the quality. We need community-based participation to encourage education. Two days ago, I visited Aurobindo Society where they had come up with a new approach towards education without spending much. Everyday I am finding laudable participation. Education is political as well as a national agenda," he said.
The minister said he called for a dialogue with the parliamentarians on the New Education Policy and more than 100 MPs have expressed their willingness to deliberate. "I wrote articles in 16 different regional languages seeking suggestions on the proposed policy and received several good suggestions from all the States. With those, we will make the final draft," he said.
According to him, the government's mission was to improve quality of education at all levels, while boosting research and innovation. "Unlike the British system where we were not allowed to question, we should encourage inquisitiveness and creativity among children which is the basis of education and adds value to the nation," Javadekar said.
For joyful learning, he said a three-day event would be organised with the participation of voluntary associations like Bhartiya Jain Sanghatana and others. Every state could learn from other states on successful innovations.
Speaking on the occasion, Shantilalji Muttha, founder of the sangathana, said "We are ready with new value education programs for Tamil Nadu. We are working on programmes like mulyavardhan for all government schools and we are also empowering girl child with education in rural areas."