BRAINSTORMING EDUCATION AND SKILL SETS SCENARIO
POST COVID-19
COL(DR) BALDEV SINGH CHOUDHARY
Viruses, Epidemics, and Pandemics are not new to the world. It has been happening since Prehistoric epidemic circa around 3000 BC in China and plague of Athens in 430 BC to the
20th century Spanish flu(1918-20 ), most recent SARS(2002), swine flu(2009-10)
Ebola(2014-16) and now Novel Corona virus Pandemic -2019. What is unique about
Covid-19 is, its speedy spread, geographical coverage and lethality with which it has hit the
entire world. Advanced technology in the fields of Telecommunication, telemetry and fast
means of communication has made it possible for this localised unseen micro virus to
dominate almost whole earth. Highly advanced technology has reduced the barrier of time
and distances and removed the international borders in cyber space, which in turn integrated
nations all across and turned whole world into a global village. We are reaping the benefits
of this technology, sharing our resources and exchanging ideas, spreading the knowledge in
the interest of entire humanity and availing luxuries even a Maharaja couldn’t have dreamed
of just 100 years back. It was unthinkable even six months back for us to become suspicious
of such a wonderful technology until this Wuhan originated tinny virus hit the world hard and
paralysed our daily lives. It compels us to think whether technology is boon or curse for
humanity? But, it is also a fact that we can’t go back to stone age. Advancement once
happened is irreversible .We need to find solutions by applying even more advanced
technology in problem areas.Need of the hour is to shift our focus from problem to solution
.All clouds have silver linings in it and all challenges come with inherent opportunities.
Economic slowdown and financial crisis of 2008 gave birth to WhatsApp, Pinterest, uber
and Instagram which created new avenues and changed the way world worked prior to it.
India is now known as the Facebook and WhatsApp country.It is true that necessity is the
mother of invention. November 2016 demonetisation expedited mass digitisation in India,
even a roadside tea vendor was compelled to accept rupees 10 on Paytm. Since lock down
in march this year, world is changing even faster. Mahindra is making sanitizers, maruti is
making ventilators, swiggy is delivering groceries, Louis vuitton is making masks and doctors
consulting online.
I do not know how the industries and business world will shape and function exactly in
future but because of my association with education sector, have fair ideas as what the new
realities entail for this sector. Though, it is premature to say but latest trends and prevailing
circumstances indicate that less number of students will go abroad to study, Technology
companies will become educators and vice a versa, education will become more accessible
and affordable, parents would encourage their children to learn online. Look at the websites
of Ministry of Human Resources and Development(MHRD), University Grant
Commission(UGC), National Council of Education Research and Training(NCERT), Central
Board of Secondary Education(CBSE), even State Boards, National Council of Teacher
Education(NCTE), All India Council for Technical Education(AICTE) and it will be crystal
clear to one and all as how fast we are aligning to new realities. App based learning,
gamification and online delivery of contents has become sudden necessity in lockdown,
whereas we are lacking technical know how and infrastructure for the same. Hats off to our
great teachers , despite all odds they did not allow education sector to shut down. When
students were not able to join physical schools, teachers took virtual schools to the drawing
rooms of the students , though it needed herculean efforts to adjust with paradigm shift in
creation and delivery of contents .But it is also a stark truth that only minuscule public and
govt schools based in cities could do it with some of the frontline dedicated educators. What
about majority of schools if lockdown continues after summer breaks also?. Even if schools
reopen but some school report mass contaminations? Will the parents allow their wards to
go to school in such frightening situations? What about training of non skilled teachers for
such education? What about majority of students in rural govt schools who can not affordandroid phone ,leave aside computer?.How are we planning to bridge ever widening digital
divide between rural and urban students? Will increased use of apps, games and online
learning not lead to mechanised behaviour by our children? How to achieve balance
between technology and human touch of a teacher in long run? How to manage crowds in
buses and ,local trains and metros to facilitate move of students? How technology can help
those who can not reach school? How to organise staff conferences, recesses and parent-
teachers meeting, keeping social distancing in view? Many more such un thought of tough
questions and contingencies need to be brainstormed by our govt, educationists and think
tanks to arrive at some solutions for this remarkable challenge before schools and colleges
reopen in Jul/Aug this year only.
There is no point in brooding over the problem and sulking. Leave bigger things to govt. We
as teachers, parents, administrators, educational leaders and policy facilitators at lower
level can’t shy away but prepare ourselves mentally and stand by the government and
welcome their huge efforts by tuning ourselves with the rapidly changing educational
environment. Most important thing for us to do immediately is to prepare teachers, students
and parents for new system of online contents delivery with smart devices by arranging
online training sessions for teachers and counselling sessions for students and parents for
coping with the sudden changes..Teachers have to make greater adjustments as education
is shifting from teacher centric to pupil centric. System will be more transparent as teachers
will not be able to differentiate between front benchers and back benchers. George couros,
a Canadian author once rightly said,” Technology will not replace great teachers but
technology in the hands of great teachers can be transformational”. I am very sure our
teachers will be able to tide over the problem provided we build capacity of our vast teaching
community on war footing as digital learning from smart devices taking roots is surely to
grow further even when Corona virus vanishes.
Second most important thing is to be done is to aligning our higher education curricula to
ensure development of employability skills in college pass outs as job market will be volatile
post covid-19. Degrees will be less important than demonstrable skills. Soft skills and IT
literacy will be essential for future employment .Recent NACE survey has found that 93%
employer consider that soft skills are must. Such essential employability skills have to be
embedded in existing syllabus .Greater coordination is required to be established with
industry houses to know their human resource requirement to develop job ready youth
Some businesses are vanishing and being replaced by newer ones, which will require new
operational skill sets. National Educational Alliance for Technology(NEAT) scheme has
already been launched by AICTE for using technology for better learning outcomes in this
Artificial Intelligence(AI) era. People would like to avoid crowds, malls, markets, cinemas,
restaurants and working from home will be a new norm. Wearing masks and social
distancing will be done voluntarily .In view of these changes , some of the old businesses
and old skills will be rendered obsolete and new businesses and new skills will be in great
demand. Many job laid off during this lockdown are not coming back .Gauging the
environment rightly, the govt has launched special economic package ‘Atamnirbhar Bharat”
It reminds me of American futurist Alvin toffler who wrote in his book ‘future shock’ in 1970
that there will be too much changes into short period of time in future which has become
instant reality and we are facing it right now. He further says the illiterate of 21st century will
not be those who cannot read and write but those who cannot learn Unlearn and relearn.
The inroads by artificial intelligence will expedite it further. Hence, unlearning obsolete skills
and learning new skills by our work force for new requirement is the prime need .We need
to create pool of human resources for Bharat Nirman and make in india projects and make it
a grand success by skilling our more than 65% below the age of 35 young population .We do
not have any other option but to leverage this huge young population for national
development by making them home grown entrepreneurs and job ready in this changed
business environment. Education institutions have to lead from the front for this onerous task
as human resource is the key factor for national development. We in the armed forces
strongly believe that it is not machine but man behind the machine who wins the battle. It isequally applicable to win the battle of Atamnirbhar Bharat project as we need such a battle
worthy army of people equipped with necessary demonstrable skills. Global models and
global virtual campuses have already knocked at our doors in too short a time. We also need
to make our presence felt globally and learn new pedagogy from global leaders and
technology giants in the field. Educational institutions and technology companies have to
integrate fast with missionary zeal and learning from best global minds have to be facilitated
to find solution of this unusual and unexpected sudden revolution in this arena . Keeping
pace with future unfolding and vigil on ever occurring new developments is must.
I was attending one online webinar being organised by North storm Academy and Bombay
University few days back in which more than 12000 educational leaders, vice chancellors, principals, educators and administrators from all nooks and corners of the country
registered for the digital training to stay relevant in the field .Many more were waiting for
their turn in next session. Enthusiastic and volunteer participation of them made me
optimistic about the future and i am sanguine that our capable education leaders grappling
with sudden new norm of completely tech-mediated teaching- learning and challenge of skill
development will come out of it efficiently within limited resources available. Nation and the
society only need to encourage and support their mission.
The author is serving Indian army officer , presently posted in western Bihar with Bihar & Jharkhand NCC Directorate. He is gold medallist in Bachelor of Educational Technology , Post
Graduate and Doctorate in Education along with PG Dip in journalism and mass communication.
Views expressed in the article are his personal.