NDMC to introduce education projects as per the New National Education Policy

New Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) Vice Chairman, Satish Upadhyay on Tuesday briefed about the details of the new education projects to be implemented for the betterment of the students and teachers of its schools. Giving the details about the new projects, Upadhyay informed that NDMC is working to make education inclusive through providing Atal Tinkering labs, smart classrooms, digital libraries, language labs, up-gradation of the auditorium, cash-prize to meritorious students, free stationery to primary class students, online learning material to about 2500 students belonging to the economic weaker section of the society, Teachers Resource Centre, Science Park, Bag-less Classroom, Nature-Class, 100 days reading campaign etc.

He also said that COVID-19 posed unprecedented challenges particularly for the education system in the entire world. NDMC took the challenge as an opportunity and fully leveraged technology to ensure 'Schooling at home to the learners' for all its students. These initiatives included real-time online teaching, anywhere any time learning for the students, online assessment, online PTMs, staff meetings and teachers training and NDMC Youtube channels etc. NDMC is upgrading all its primary classes from class 1 to 5 by converting them into smart classes, providing OneSmart Board Based Smart Class, Up-gradation of Auditorium in schools, 14 Palika Tinkering Labs will be set up, One Nature-based Classroom will be set up in each of 10 NDMC or Navyug schools in this financial year, Upadhyay stated.

He also informed that NDMC has decided to award the top 10 meritorious students of class 10 and 12 by awarding cash prizes amounting to Rs 10,000, free stationery to the students of pre-primary and primary classes. It also provided Topper's online learning material to 2500 students under the economically weaker section. For enhanced accessibility to needy children for digital resources, NDMC not only provided an internet data pack costing Rs 200 per month to the students of class 10 and 12 for better performance of the students but on a pilot basis distributed 811 tablets to class 10 and 12 students in four schools, he said.

NDMC is also in the process of providing tablets to students of classes 10 and 12 of all remaining schools as well as all teachers. He informed that NDMC will develop a 'Teachers Resource Centre' in NDMC for Continuous Professional Development of teachers and set up 'Science Park' at TughlakCrescent with collaboration with the National Science Centre for better practice understanding of the topic by the students.

'Activity Centres' will be opened in the primary wing of all NDMC and Navyug Schools to cater to the needs of Balvatika as well as Primary classes in the line of NEP directions. The focus would be on the development of language skills and teaching by the play-based and activity-based curriculum. He further informed that Bag-less Pre-primary and Primary classrooms will be implemented soon after the pandemic is over. Upadhyay also asserted that "Nature Classes" are being set up for their students to encourage reading and writing skills in close proximity with the nature on Gurukul theme. To fill the gaps that occurred in basic language, communication and numeric abilities of the primary students due to the discontinuation of offline physical class, NDMC has organized workshops with all Assistant Teachers of Atal Adarsh Vidyalaya and Navyugs Schools to guide the students of Class 1 to 8 to follow the direction issued by Department of Education, Government of India and Directorate of Education, Government of NCT of Delhi for 100 Days Reading Campaign.

The campaign marks an important step to improve the learning levels of students as it develops creativity, critical thinking, vocabulary and the ability to express both verbally and in writing. For this project, NDMC also provides the students with the books and links related based on famous personalities, freedom fighters, Indian culture, heritage etc. through this they will strengthen their reading and comprehension ability as " Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav" is celebrating its 75th year of India's Independence, he said. He said that the Government of India has announced the National Education Policy 2020 which is to be implemented by 2022 across the country. NDMC has decided to focus on areas while restructuring the schooling system as per the New National Education Policy wherein to bring education and technology together.