In New Delhi, the British Council, in partnership with the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), arranged a significant educational conference aimed at exploring and exchanging ideas on inventive teaching methods in schools throughout India.
The event spanned two days and was inaugurated by Sanjay Kumar, Secretary of School Education. It attracted representatives, policymakers, and leaders from 300 schools, educational institutions, government bodies, and apex organizations like CBSE, NCERT, NCTE, NIEPA, NCF, and various school boards nationwide.
Education experts, agencies, and consultants from the UK, including Alpha Plus, ECCTIS, and Cambridge Partnership for Education, were also present. Discussions revolved around guiding school leaders and expert practitioners on available resources that could enrich teaching, learning, and assessment.
Master classes were conducted by trainers from renowned entities such as the Jane Goodall Foundation, Premier League, Micro: Bit Foundation, Alpha Plus, Cambridge University Press and Assessments (CUPA), and CBSE.
Cambridge University Press and Assessment shared insights from a scoping study commissioned by the British Council and CBSE. The study aimed to strengthen pedagogy and assessment in practical teaching for classes 5-10, focusing on science, math, social science, and languages in CBSE schools, promoting hands-on practical activities and fieldwork for experiential learning.
Additionally, it aimed to bolster climate change education and sustainability, fostering green skills and a climate action mindset among learners.
Discussions at the conference encompassed understanding and implementing policies, curriculum, pedagogy, assessment priorities for 21st-century schools, enhancing computational thinking, and digital technology integration in classrooms.
The event also explored methods to infuse environmental education, sustainability, and mindfulness across subjects, aligning with NEP 2020 and NCF 2023. Sanjay Kumar stressed the importance of environmental education, emphasizing its inclusion in textbooks and mitigation of climate change effects.
Alison Barrett MBE, Director India, British Council, highlighted the need for climate and sustainability education, aiming for transformative shifts in the Indian education system. Dr. Joseph Emmanuel, Director Academics, CBSE, echoed the sentiment, underscoring the importance of equipping students with knowledge and skills to address environmental challenges, urging transformative methodologies in education.
