Budget 2020: Education outlay good, but implementation of plans vital

Budget 2020: Education outlay good, but implementation of plans vital

Ronald RodriguesUpdated: Sunday, February 02, 2020, 06:04 AM IST
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Mumbai: I welcome the reforms and allocation of funds in the Union Budget 2020 for the education sector. But implementation of the plans and reforms mentioned in the budget is the main question? I had expected the budget to focus on education and skill development and it has various plans for both. But I hoped there would be plans for improving the quality of teachers by facilitating teacher training and skill development, exchange programmes and fellowships. Also, the budget could have focussed on practical education by encouraging field work, new creative courses and opportunities to study abroad.

I welcome the move of 150 higher education institutions starting apprenticeships embedded courses. But I hope this plan is executed with required infrastructure and manpower support. These apprenticeship programmes should be branched out to all courses which require on job training through both urban and rural local bodies.

Online courses have always been a pet project with the changing new age technology. The government should take it seriously and implement it as it will revolutionise the entire education system. Many universities in the United States of America (USA) and Europe have online programmes. This proposal will replace the need for infrastructure development for universities.

The entire education fraternity has been waiting for the New Education Policy. It is disappointing that we have to wait more. I hope the government has realistic measures tabled in the policy instead of hypothetical plans. A boost to the medicine field was rather necessary than expected. The proposal to start Medical colleges alongside district hospitals should be implemented in urban areas too. Hospitals in the city require staff and, medical students studying alongside can assist through internships and apprenticeship programmes.

A factor which I was looking forward was the introduction of practical and skill development courses in the state board school curriculum. But there are no plans mentioned for school education in the budget. The curriculum of a majority of states needs a rational change with new chapters and introduction to practical learning.

Also, considering recent events, student’s security and secure campuses are need of the hour. I hope the allocation of funds Rs 99,300 crores for education and Rs 3,000 crores for skill development are implemented at the ground level.

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