Education ministry calls for diversity and inclusivity in schools in new norms

Schools in India should ensure inclusivity and celebrate diversity of students with different learning needs, the education ministry has recommended in fresh guidelines, which entails making curriculum culturally and socially accommodating, encouraging teachers to develop knowledge and skills to teach all children in a class, and strengthening resource centres by equipping them with assistive devices. The guidelines recommended there should not be any kind of discrimination, negative dispositions and violence against or among students The National Guidelines and Implementation Framework on Equitable and Inclusive Education have been prepared by the National Council of Educational Research and Training in line with the National Education Policy 2020 that envisages transforming India by providing high-quality “equitable and inclusive education” to ensure students with diverse learning needs are able to thrive. Marginalised students encounter learning issues due to several reasons, including lack of identification of learning needs, stereotypes against providing educational opportunities children belonging to certain sections, unavailability of local teachers, lack of context specific teaching-learning material in local language, infrastructural lags like labs, library, residential school facilities, inaccessible support system and untimely distribution of scholarships and other incentive, among others, the guidelines said. READ | New national student ID scheme requires parental consent for student registrations “State should ensure facilities available and accessible in schools for vocational exposure and skill training to students belonging to SEDGs.