The vision of an 'educated' person and the purpose of education.

What can we learn from research and Civil Society Efforts?

The Principles of NEP 2020 as mentioned in the policy document

'The purpose of the education system is to develop good human beings capable of rational thought and action, possessing compassion and empathy, courage and resilience, scientific temper and creative imagination, with sound ethical moorings and values. It aims at producing engaged, productive, and contributing citizens for building an equitable, inclusive, and plural society as envisaged by our Constitution.'

The vision of the policy includes making India a global knowledge Superpower and largely duty-abiding citizens with respect for 'Bharat'.

The policy mentions social-emotional learning as one of the key components of the learning experience for students. As per the UDISE + Report 21-22, India has 1022386 government schools. The government schools in India have the largest number of students from Social and Economically marginalised sections of the society. These include learners from families of daily wage workers, Indigenous communities, Schedule caste communities and many other marginalised and vulnerable groups.

These communities and children from these communities still face stigma, discrimination and exclusion in explicit and subtle ways the schools. Government schools are a space where these learners can experience equity, inclusion and democratic ways of functioning. Schools can also be the safe space where self-esteem is nurtured and the stigma, and discrimination be challenged.

If truly India was to become the global knowledge superpower it could not only focus on ensuring basic reading, writing, and comprehension and measure student success through high-stakes tests ( national and international).

The vision of education and the educated person has to grow beyond being a 'productive' person contributing to the economic growth and law-abiding citizens. Social and emotional well-being are also required for 'productivity' and social-economic growth of the nation.

What is the role of schools in developing socially and emotionally resilient adults?

Emotional resilience is the ability to cope with stressful life experiences, disappointments, and challenges in an effective and meaningful way that helps to preserve self-esteem, build social aptitude, and prevent frustration, anger, and even depression. Emotional resilience learned early in life assists in recovering from misfortunes and disappointments, thus fostering emotional health.

Dr. Emmy Werner: After following a large group of children from the embryonic stage to their mid-thirties, researchers in a project headed by Dr. Emmy Werner of the University of California at Davis revealed that more than a third of at-risk kids acquired the self-confidence to do well in school, in social life, and later in love and work. This success was despite such significant obstacles as prenatal problems, discordant home lives, poverty, and considerable personal loss. Similar or even better odds emerged from other studies.

Further studies by the researchers also helped to articulate protective factors and resilience traits.

Rutter 1985: identifies 3 fundamental components that determine resilience.

o A sense of self-esteem self -confidence

o A belief in one’s self-efficacy & ability to deal with change and adaptation

o A repertoire of social problem-solving approaches

The Protective Factors included

• Family connection
• School Connection
• ProSocial peer and
• Pro Group Participation

The Resilience traits included,

• Empathy
• General Self Efficacy
• Self Awareness
• Goals and Aspirations
• Expressing Feelings and Conflict resolution

While the NEP mentions the term resilience it does not elaborate or include any of the above in its vision of the educated person that can be derived after reading the policy.

As Civil Society Organisations 'we' are largely competing for resources and at times also pitch ideas against each other. Can a larger narrative on FLN be inclusive of Social-Emotional well-being and skills? These skills also improve student retention and learning. Can the policy makers be cognizant of the efforts that many organisations are putting towards building 21st-century skills and include them in the policy and programmes? The beginning of the Happiness Curriculum in Delhi and the Harsh Johar curriculum in Jharkhand is a great example of what the State and Civil Society collaboration can create for its learners. However the larger vision and narrative about a 'successful' human, the vision that the State and society hold for an 'Educated' person have to be inclusive of these 'humane' traits.