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Future-ready teachers key to shaping youth as India's clout rises: Pradhan

The content is designed to foster future readiness, elevate pedagogical practices, and enhance student engagement in classrooms

Dharmendra Pradhan, Dharmendra, Pradhan

When I go to villages, my confidence level increases, said Union Minister for Education Dharmendra Pradhan. | Credit: PTI

Press Trust of India

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India is poised to be a key growth engine in the world economy, and mapping and supporting evolution of future-ready educators would be critical in shaping young minds in a tech-driven society, Union Minister for Education Dharmendra Pradhan said on Monday. 
Pradhan said 'future-mapping' is the biggest challenge, and emphasised the need to focus on updating the skills of both teachers and students. 
Teachers should foster curiosity, innovative mindset and critical thinking among students through scientific-learning outcomes, not rote learning, he said adding teachers in India have the talent, all they need is a vision and an opportunity. 
"Almost 25 per cent of the global jobs which existed in 2015 are no longer there. By 2028, nature of almost 40 per cent of existing jobs will change. Society will go into skilling, upskilling and reskilling, and as India has the youngest population, teachers will hold the key, the password...," Pradhan said while unveiling 'TheTeacherApp' developed by Bharti Airtel Foundation. 
 
The minister noted that India, the fifth-largest economy in the world, is poised to become the third-largest in a few years.
"Given the growth rate of our economy, in two decades, we may surpass and lead the global economy. India will become the growth engine for the world. How will it happen...It will happen from clarity of thought of our young minds, which in turn will be catalysed by teachers who will make it possible," Pradhan said. 
The minister said that debate, at times, is around rewriting of history (curriculum), but added that he does not see that as a big issue. According to him, the biggest challenge of NEP implementation is about future-mapping, in a way that readies students to partake not only in the new economic order but to contribute as innovators in the global economy. 
"When I go to villages, my confidence level increases. I see curiosity and critical-thinking among children...sometimes I fear if teachers are keeping up. What is their fault, so future-mapping is the biggest challenge," he said. 
Bharti Airtel Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Bharti Enterprises, on Monday launched TheTeacherApp, a platform designed to equip educators with future-ready skills through digital resources. 
The user-centric, free app developed with direct inputs from teachers is accessible across Web, iOS, and Android. The platform offers 260 plus hours of resources, both created and curated including courses, learning bytes, short videos, podcasts, and interactive webinars formats such as thematic fests, competitions, and quizzes. 
The content is designed to foster future readiness, elevate pedagogical practices, and enhance student engagement in classrooms. 
Additionally, the app also features live expert sessions that provide practical classroom strategies and aims to build a community of teachers by highlighting their exceptional impact stories. 
This platform has a section called Teaching Kits comprising content of 900 plus hours. This feature is designed to support teachers with tools, including teaching videos, project-based learning activities, worksheets, lesson plans, and question bank, among others for classroom delivery. 
Aligned with the National Education Policy (NEP), the app aims to build future-ready educators equipped to meet the evolving needs of education. 
Rakesh Bharti Mittal, Vice Chairman of Bharti Enterprises, said: "For India to thrive as a global economic leader, it is imperative that our education system equips the educators to foster creativity, critical thinking, and innovation." TheTeacherApp is a decisive step in this direction, offering teachers access to world-class resources and best practices that empower them to deliver exceptional learning experiences, Mittal added. 

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First Published: Nov 25 2024 | 6:58 PM IST

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