In the year 2020, new National Education Policy (NEP 2020) was announced and the year was also marked by COVID-19 pandemic crisis. Consequently, schools were shut down disrupting the lives and education of more than 2.6 crore students across the country and half-baked and inequitable efforts in the form of on-line learning. The uncertainties regarding the curbing the pandemic crisis and economy hitting a new low, school education is likely to witness a wholesale privatization, corporatization and digitization.
During the upsurge of pandemic and close-down of educational institutions, many edtech startups have been profitably tried out for continuity in learning through on-line classes and virtual courses.
In the Budget 2021, the education, both in public and private sectors, is awaiting key announcements and policy measures from the Government of India on February 1 with the finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman as the citizens and players in the field of private education or ‘educational industrialists’ gear up for first paperless budget in the country.
Seemingly, education industry is going to get new fillip in the form of centres for foundational education (3-8 years age group) with play-way methods and experiential learning techniques. This aspect of the NEP-2020 has already been hailed by the private sector in education.
One may not be surprised that this year education budget may announce policy measures and allocations for the growth of edtech and digital learning models in the mainstream school and higher education.
According to some educators, the pandemic-pushed NEP 2020 is paving the way to privatise and industrialise education in a big way with a focus on the usage of digital technology investment in internet connectivity, laptops, smart tablets, smartphones, iphones, up-gradation of institutional infrastructure etc, either through direct government schemes, Public Private Partnership (PPP) models or privatization of education and education infra loans along with edtech certifications.
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