National Education Policy 2020 is Unilateral & Disempowering the poor and marginalized: Welfare Party of India
Welfare Party of India strongly opposed the National Education Policy 2020 passed unilaterally by Modi government during the pandemic crises and demanded it to be rolled back.
National President of Welfare Party of India Dr SQR Ilyas criticised the BJP government and said education is one of the fundamental right of every citizen but the new policy on education will disempower the poor and the marginalized and will pave way for privatisation and commercialization of education.
Dr Ilyas pointed out that the government is pushing RSS agenda of saffronisation of education through NEP 2020 as the new policy quotes ‘building upon India’s traditions and value systems’ and adds that the rich heritage of ancient & eternal Indian knowledge as ‘guiding light’ while the rich heritage and plural culture of ‘unity in diversity’ is feared to be distorted and ignored in this policy.
He said the Education is in the Concurrent List in our Constitution.It is a gross violation by the Central government to impose a New Policy unilaterally bypassing the state governments, but involving those affiliated to RSS in the drafting process and added that there should be thorough debate, discussion and deliberation in the parliament before any new policy is adopted
Dr Ilyas said that the NEP 2020 focuses on centralisation of education with a National Assessment Centre which will completely redesign school-based assessment superceding the current assessment system and called it harmful and added that the new policy makes vocational training for students from class six which may force young children into the labour market, with their education adversely affected.
Dr Ilyas criticised the government’s attempt to commercialize education through NEP 2020 which will widen the existing inequalities as the new policy will encourage the entry of private players in education in the name of philanthropic schools and public-private partnerships, inviting foreign universities, dismantling of the UGC and the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), introduction of a four-year multidisciplinary undergraduate programme with multiple exit options, and discontinuation of the M Phil programme without consultation with the students and teachers organisations who are the stakeholders.
Dr Ilyas pointed at the proposal of the policy to put education under the apex body Rashtriya Siksha Ayog chaired by the Prime Minister which violates the constitutional provision of federalism and is a dangerous design to centralize political control of the education system and demanded that this must be revoked.
Welfare Party of India demands the BJP government to immediately roll back the discriminatory National Education Policy 2020 and bring all inclusive, progressive, transparent education policy with an aim to transform society, involving all stakeholders to empower our future India and take it to new heights of progress and prosperity with sabkasaath sabkavikas and sabkavishwas in letter and spirit.
