West Bengal State Education Policy 2023: The West Bengal Higher Education Department has undertaken a comprehensive overhaul of its education system, spanning from pre-primary to higher education levels within the state. This new State Education Policy (SEP) is primarily designed to elevate the quality of education for all students, with a specific emphasis on those belonging to marginalised, disadvantaged, and underrepresented groups.
To initiate this transformation, the State Government established an expert committee consisting of eminent educationists on April 7, 2022. Following extensive consultations with stakeholders, the committee submitted its recommendations to the State Government.
"Whereas, the state government has been considering the need of revamping its existing education system starting from pre-primary to higher education level in the state of West Bengal to ensure a higher standard of education to all students, with particular focus on marginalised, disadvantaged, and under-represented groups," the notice reads.
"And whereas, the state government, for this purpose constituted an expert committee comprising of eminent educationists," the notification said.1694427433750.jpg)
The Education Department released a notification on September 9 proposing the continuation of the state's 5+4+2+2 school structure. (Image: Canva)
Key Highlights Of The West Bengal New Education Policy 2023:
Education Structure: The current school education structure in West Bengal adheres to a 5+4+2+2 pattern, encompassing one year of pre-primary education, four years of primary education up to class 4, followed by four years of upper primary, two years of secondary, and two years of higher secondary education. The proposed change involves incorporating the first two years of early childhood education at Anganwadi centers.
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Early Childhood Care and Education: West Bengal boasts approximately 1.2 lakh Anganwadi Centers (AWCs) that serve over 82 lakh children aged 0 to 6 years. The committee suggests that a curriculum for children at AWCs be developed to ensure a smooth transition from pre-primary to primary school. Furthermore, the committee proposes the creation of a unique identity card equipped with an embedded memory chip containing essential academic records from age 3 until class 12th.
Primary Education: A noteworthy recommendation by the committee is the introduction of Bangla as a subject from class 1 to 12 for students enrolled in other mediums of instruction.
3-Language Formula: The implementation of the three-language formula is slated for classes 5 to 8, contingent on infrastructure and available resources. The primary language of instruction will align with the school's medium, with Bengali for Bangla-medium schools, English for English-medium schools, Urdu for Urdu-medium schools, and Hindi for Hindi-medium schools, as applicable. The second language can either be English (in schools not primarily using English) or any language distinct from the first language. Additionally, the third language can be any language other than the first and second languages.
Secondary Education: The committee recommends the phased introduction of a Semester System, starting from class 8th onwards, to enhance the formative assessment system over the next three years.
Higher Secondary Education: To enrich the educational experience, the committee suggests involving students in internship programs and projects during summer vacations, related to subjects of their choice. Collaborations with media houses, publishing houses, and corporate firms are encouraged to facilitate these opportunities.
"We are happy that all our recommendations have been accepted by the government. To structure the school education sector in a rationalist way and its smooth transition to higher studies level. We hope our recommendations will help our students to be on par with their counterparts nationally and globally," said Expert Committee member Aveek Majumder as reported by the news agency PTI.