-By ArdorComm Media Bureau
February 26, 2024
“Gujarat is a leader in implementing the NEP” said Rohit Mehta, State Project Advisor, School Education Department, Government of Gujarat at ArdorComm Media Group hosted ‘New Normal – Education Leadership Summit & Awards 2024’ on 10th February 2024 at Crowne Plaza Ahmedabad City Centre, Ahmedabad, Gujarat.
We want to understand a few initiatives under your tenure as an adviser in the School Education Department. Could you shed some light on that?
Dr. Vinod Rai is the longest-serving Education Secretary of Gujarat State, and his tenure gave him an opportunity to overhaul the education system and bring in quality education for every student, ensuring appropriate learning outcomes. Under his leadership, and building upon the efforts initiated by the Honorable Prime Minister Narendra Modi since 2002, we have implemented various initiatives. The key initiatives taken in recent years are based on five pillars: attendance, assessment, accreditation, adaptive learning, and administration. All these initiatives are tied together through artificial intelligence, which is our sixth key initiative. These initiatives are centered at Vidya Shiksha Kendra, which received the Prime Minister’s Award for Excellence in Public Administration in 2022. Our recent major transformative initiative is the country’s largest School Transformation Program called Mission Schools of Excellence, where we are upgrading around 20,000 government and grant-in-aid schools with modern infrastructure, digital learning opportunities, and sufficient human resources and technology, aiming to enhance education for more than 90% of the students in the state.
What is the structure of the school education system in Gujarat, and what steps have been taken towards the implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP)?
Gujarat is a leader in implementing the NEP. In terms of the education ecosystem for school education in the state, we have 33 districts, 254 blocks, approximately 54,000 schools, and 1.15 crore students. Gujarat has taken leadership in implementing some recommendations even before the NEP came into effect. After the introduction of NEP, we have been leading efforts such as the Nipun Bharat mission for foundational learning, introducing Balvatika for children aged 5 to 6 years, developing curriculum under the New National Curriculum Framework, providing books before the session starts, and expanding skill education in many schools. NEP talks about school complexes, and through our Gan Shiksha Residential Schools, which accommodate 2,000 students, we are building school complexes in social partnership.
How certain forums contribute when government stakeholders, academicians, and corporates come together on a common platform?
As our secretary rightly says, he is not the Secretary of Government Schools but the Secretary of School Education as a whole. These platforms provide the government an opportunity to share its vision and future plans with the entire education fraternity, aiding in implementing our schemes across all types of schools. Corporates can also assist us in spreading our vision and mission.
Any message you would like to give to ArdorComm Media Group?
ArdorComm Media Group has shown remarkable professionalism, and the arrangements for this event reflect a level of experience that one would expect from a group like this. Congratulations to the entire team, especially to you, for organizing such a wonderful event that connects everyone. It’s been a pleasure to be a part of it. Thank you so much for inviting us.