NETF as a ‘Technology Enabler’ at the intersection of policy initiatives and digital technologies
National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 represents a landmark policy initiative in reforming and transforming the Education sector in the country, one that is commensurate with the challenges and needs of the 21st century and aligned with the objectives of achieving SDG 4 - "Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all" (2030) target.
Rapid changes in the technology, growing automation, demographic changes etc. are shaping regional economic development necessitating an agile, adaptive & responsive education system that shall anticipate and prepare for students’ long-term education and training. High quality and inclusive education is essential to develop an agile and competent workforce and underpins the requirement of the modern learning ecosystem.
NEP 2020 framework is built on the foundational pillars of ensuring quality education that is affordable, accessible, equitable and accountable. NEP recommendations seek to restructure the overall regulatory framework that shall fillip India’s transition towards becoming a ‘Global Knowledge Superpower’.
For the realization of these objectives, NEP 2020 recommends the establishment of a dedicated SPV, mandated to implement and regulate a unified digital education architecture and fulfill the objectives of NEP 2020. In this context, National Educational Technology Forum (NETF) has been conceived as an autonomous body, incorporated as a Society that would facilitate decision making on the deployment, induction and use of technology for the realization of NEP objectives. The activity of teaching and learning is undergoing radical changes as current and subsequent generations are growing up in close proximity with technology and therefore it is of critical importance that education delivery and regulation also sheds its traditional approach and embraces technology in all use cases of education content creation, pedagogy and delivery. Technology aided learning & supporting infrastructure shall prove to be the most important enabler for implementation and administration of the envisioned NEP framework.
NETF seeks to establish a marketplace for educational products and services. This platform shall enable the free exchange of ideas pertaining to the use of technology to enhance learning, assessment, planning and administration etc. for School Education, Higher Education and Skilling Initiatives. This ecosystem shall be implemented in accordance with the National Digital Education Architecture (NDEAR), a unified digital education architecture for School Education (NDEAR-S) and Higher Education (NDEAR-H); wherein NETF as its custodian, shall play the role of the central advisory and regulatory agency for facilitating educational institutions, central and state governments to effectively deploy technology interventions by providing a single source of proven best practices, emerging research in digital education and recommendations on interoperable, open solutions for the betterment of education delivery in the country.
The core principle of ‘Education for All’ shall be the driving force of NETF initiatives, implying equality/equity in education that shall ensure learners at all levels of education including CWSN & underserved communities (Tribal areas), teachers, parents, administrators and content providers (for-profit and not-for-profit); have access to technologies that can unlock a student’s learning potential.
