British Council and CBSE Collaborate for Transformation of Education at School Education Conference

BusinessWire India
New Delhi [India], December 15: British Council, the UK's international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities, organised a landmark School education conference, in collaboration with the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), with the aim of exploring and sharing knowledge on innovative teaching methodologies for school education across India.

The two-day conference was inaugurated by Sanjay Kumar, Secretary School Education and attended by representatives and policy makers from 300 schools and educational institutions, state & central government and apex body leaders, including the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT), National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE), National Institute of Educational Planning and Administration (NIEPA), National Curriculum Framework Committee (NCF) and school boards from across the country. The school education conference was also attended by education experts, agencies, organisations, and consultants from the UK such as Alpha Plus, ECCTIS and Cambridge Partnership for Education.

The sessions centered on the orientation of school leaders and expert practitioners on resources available to students and teachers which can enhance their teaching, learning and assessment. As part of the conference the master classes were delivered by trainers from various groups, including renowned entities like the Jane Goodall Foundation, Premier League, Micro: Bit Foundation, Alpha Plus, Cambridge University Press and Assessments (CUPA) and CBSE.

At the conference, Cambridge University Press and Assessment shared findings and recommendations from the scoping study - 'Recommendations for strengthening pedagogy and assessment of practical teaching in classes 5-10'. The study, commissioned by the British Council and the CBSE, analysed the teaching and learning of science, maths, social science, and languages in CBSE schools in India, to develop the use of high quality hands-on practical and field work activities as a key component of experiential learning. The study also focused on supporting schools to strengthen climate change and sustainability education to support learners' development of green skills and climate action and sustainability mind set.

At the conference, the delegates deliberated on the current levels of understanding and implementation of policies. Other areas of discussion included curriculum, pedagogy, and assessment priorities for 21st century schools as well as the enhancement of computational thinking and digital technology in the classroom. Finally, the conference also explored approaches to integrating environment education, sustainability and mindfulness across subject areas in line with the NEP 2020 and the NCF 2023.

Sanjay Kumar, Secretary, Department of School Education and Literacy, Ministry of Education, said, "School education must teach and sensitize all students about the environment and climate while building on our profound bond with nature. As climate change increasingly impacts our world, action and learning at the school level is more critical than ever. The NEP and National Curriculum Framework for School Education mandates creation of textbooks on climate change and education, to impart the importance of sustainability to students across all levels and also to mitigate its effect. We are happy that the British Council, CBSE and all the school representatives here at the conference today, are actively looking for solutions to enable such learning through, technology and innovation and innovative pedagogy."

Addressing the attendees at the conference, Alison Barrett MBE, Director India, British Council said, "Through this school education conference, we've aimed to initiate an important dialogue between educators, policymakers, and thought leaders to support transformative change in the Indian school system. Making age-appropriate climate and sustainability knowledge available to all in different ways is absolutely critical to changing mindsets and behaviours. We are glad to played a leading role in discussions about how to integrate climate and sustainability in school curriculum. We thank the education stakeholders who participated in the conference and hope that the event inspires us all to focus on ways we can make transformative shifts in both our countries."

Dr Joseph Emmanuel, Director Academics, CBSE said, "We embarked on a crucial journey toward redefining pedagogy and fostering innovative learning approaches across India's educational landscape. We value the enthusiastic contributions of stakeholders and educators who shared insights and ideas to elevate our curriculum's focus on environmental and climate education, sustainability, and mindfulness. Equipping students with vital knowledge and skills to understand and address environmental challenges is imperative. Together, let us embrace these discussions as catalysts for empowering our schools with methodologies that resonate with the evolving needs of the 21st century."
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