NEP for special needs children from 2025-26

PANAJI

Stating that Goa is in a “transition phase” in implementation of National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, the State government on Thursday announced that the new education policy for children with special needs would be introduced from the next academic year 2025-26 onwards.

Secretary Education IAS Prasad Lolayekar said that the State is in a “transition phase” in implementing NEP and there would surely be initial issues that need to be addressed. “NEP for children with special needs will be implemented from next academic year. The focus is on quality education, affordability, access and equity in education keeping the true spirit of NEP in mind,” he said.

Lolayekar was speaking while addressing a two-day national seminar organized by State Council of Educational Research and Training, Goa (SCERT) on ‘New State Curriculum Frameworks (SCF’s) as the basis for transforming school education’. NEP 2020 has introduced short-term specialization courses to teach Special Children with the existing framework with teachers given freedom to choose different tools for teaching as per the needs and requirements of the student.

Earlier speaking, Union Additional Secretary for Education Anandrao Patil spoke on how providing access to quality education to the last student remains a challenge which they are working to overcome. He also pointed out the digital divide and the steps being taken to address the same. He stressed the need for teachers to be trained to use technology in teaching.  

Patil also urged the State to ensure implementation of the Automated Permanent Academic Account Registry (APAAR) ID system, designed to facilitate targeted interventions, improve school enrollments, and seamlessly manage academic records for all students. 

Addressing the seminar, National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) Director Prof Dinesh Prasad Saklani stressed on the importance of community participation to achieve successful implementation of NEP. “There will be teething problems but solutions come through coordination. We can learn immensely from India’s traditional knowledge system and Goa can become a role model for the rest of India, and NCERT will help with the hand-holding,” he said.