New Education Policy 2020
– A Remarkable Shift from 10+2 to 5+3+3+4
The Indian government introduced a new national education policy on 29 July 2020. This change in the education system has created a buzz among institutions. The first change was done in 1986; the previous scheme was a 10+2 model. And the new policy, which was inducted, looks like 5+3+3+4.
So, how will this new policy impact the entire education system? Let’s understand!
What is the 5+3+3+4 Class System?
The change in the system does not mean the expansion of school years. Instead, the new education process incorporates junior classes with a formal education scheme, combining kindergarten classes with 1th and 2nd classes. The method strives to bridge the gap between curricular, extracurricular, educational and occupational pursuits.
The Right to Education Act includes ages 3 to 18, expanded by the new education policy 2020. It helps organise the all-school education period so that there is more accountability, affordability, access, and universalisation at the ECCE (Early Childhood Care and Education) and pre-school level, all while offering improved quality education.
This sudden shift also helps change the entire education format for students, teachers, and administration. Schools need software to run processes smoothly to manage all these sudden changes in the education system. Likewise, every education sector now needs school management systems to make work easier.
Switching to the 5+3+3+4 system from the 10+2 system would facilitate a more uniform and inclusive transition from pre-school to higher education – 9-12 classes.
5+3+3+4 Structure Explained
Here is the class and age-wise detailed explanation of the 5+3+3+4 system:
▪ According to the new education system outlined in the new education policy 2020, the Foundational stage for children was 5 years, the first 3 years in the Preparatory stage, 3 years in the Middle stage, and 4 years in the Secondary stage.
▪ The phases have been divided according to the cognitive development stages a child goes through in early childhood, school, and secondary phase.
Here is an age-wise breakdown of the different stages of the new education policy 2020:
The 5 Years Foundation Stage (from age 3 years to age 7 years)
As per the new education policy for classes 1, 2, and 3, Anganwadi or pre-school, the basic level of learning will consist of 3 years of pre-school or Anganwadi education, followed by 2 years of primary school (classes 1 and 2). This stage will focus on the play or activity-based teaching methods and language development.
The 3 Years Preparatory Stage (from age 8 to 11)
According to the new education policy 2020 for classes 3rd to 5th, the preparatory period will continue focusing on numerical abilities and language development. In addition, indoor-based teaching and learning and outdoor activity would be used here, as well as the aspect of discovery and classroom relations.
The 3 Years Middle Stage (from age 11 to 14)
In the new education policy 2020 for classes 6th to 8th, this stage of school instruction will focus on significant learning objectives, which is a critical departure from the rote learning methods that have long been used in our learning system. The focus of this stage will provide experiential learning in Sciences, Arts, Social Sciences, Mathematics, and Humanities.
The 4 Years Secondary Stage – (from ages 14 to 18)
The classes like 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th will be covered in this stage. The most significant change in these classes is the transition to a multidisciplinary system in which students can decide on various topic combinations based on their interests and talents rather than being firmly classified into Science, Commerce, and Arts categories.
As a result, the education scheme change from the 10+2 to the 5+3+3+4 system provides many student development opportunities and highlights the areas the schools should focus on to grow.
