It is high time that the education system of India sees some alterations and modifications. Although the decades-old systems have been churning out perfectly capable individuals over time, it is unable to cover a variety of aspects that students need to hone in order to come out as competent in the modern times.

The NEP was announced in 2020 and it proposed sweeping changes in the school and higher education system. Now, Union Education Minister, Dr Ramesh Pokhriyal, chaired a high-level meeting on the implementation of the same. During the meeting, Pokhriyal prescribed an implementation plan for school education called Students and Teachers Holistic Advancement through Quality Education a.k.a SARTHAQ.

So how’s the new education policy going to translate into practical knowledge and skills and what role will SARTHAQ play in making kids aware and up-to-date with the modern demands of education? Before we get into that, let’s first understand what NEP stands for and how it is going to serve the student’s future education needs.

The need for NEP

The national education policy is a comprehensive framework to assist the development of education in the country. A new NEP comes along every decade to make necessary modifications to the current education system. So far, India has had three national education policies implemented.

As the years pass by and technology develops, new possibilities and opportunities come to the scene, making it critical for education bodies to implement new ways of teaching and educating. Recently, there has been a significant change in how parents want their kids to learn and be educated. Now is the time of computers and it is only going to be a major part of how the world functions in the coming years. In this context, it is deemed essential to familiarise kids with the basics of computer technology and operations so they can grow up to be insightful, skilled, and up to the standards of the modern world.

One of the major points that the new national education policy makes for school going kids is to teach them in the ways of “experimental learning and critical thinking.” Both of these standards require a familiarity with the latest technology and a drive to want to learn more about it.

To comply with the modern demands, the new education policy aims to introduce coding classes as a new-world vocational skill in the schools from class 6th.

Now, the age-old question arises: is it really important for kids to learn to code? After all, aren’t kids too young to be learning the complexity of computer programming and coding?

The answer to that question is yes, kids are too young to be learning the ways of coding and programming. Nevertheless, the goal is not to coerce them into becoming the next Bill Gates or Mark Zuckerberg but to make them understand the basics of how such technology works and how important it is to the modern world scenarios. Learning to code at a young age has lesser application in building apps, websites, and other programs. It has more to do with kids being able to grasp basic programming logic, structure, and design, which can aid them in growing up to be critical thinkers with problem-solving skills.

Benefits of Students Learning to Code from Class 6th

It goes without saying that computer technology is the future of the world. We are already living in times where most of our tasks are carried out by a computer. Whether we have to establish contact with someone, shop for groceries, or learn something new, a computer device at our disposal makes it convenient for us to live our lives at the best. In the near future, the dependence on technology is only going to increase. In fact, the upcoming years will see some new jobs that we are still not aware of. According to the Future of Jobs Report, 65% of the children entering primary schools right now will be working at jobs that do not even exist right now.

In the future, when most of our tasks will be automated, there will be rising demand for well-versed individuals who can not only operate computers but are also active problem solvers. Therefore, it only makes sense to introduce kids to the fundamentals of technology so they can grow up to be adept in its applications and operations.

Moreover, regardless of whether a kid chooses to pursue a career in computer applications, having fundamental knowledge and skills can still benefit them in their vocation. When kids learn to code, they not only understand how computer programs are created out of scratch, they also develop an analytical mindset and a creative approach to solving real-life problems.

The Challenges

No education policy can be perfect, given the varying demographic and learning abilities of kids. While the new NEP policy aims to simplify the curriculum and introduce more important elements, it is still far from delivering a unanimous method of learning and applying the learned knowledge. This is where the teachers and students come in. The proposed changes, if nothing, are difficult to adapt to, especially given the years of redundant policy. In order to make the most of it, both the teachers and the students have to come forward to ensure a smooth transition.