Dimapur: The first Northeast Education Conclave on the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, held in Chumoukedima, called for greater support from state govts and Centre to bridge gaps in educational infrastructure and facilitate implementation of the policy across the region.During the two-day conclave, which concluded on Saturday evening, academicians and policymakers from the northeast deliberated on various aspects of the policy and discussed a roadmap and strategies for its implementation in the region.The participants agreed that establishing a dedicated forum of education ministers from the northeastern states would be an important step towards driving educational transformation in the region.Noting that the northeast faces region-specific challenges in the education sector, the conclave called for closer collaboration among the states to bring about systemic improvements and shift the focus from merely tracking programme coverage to ensuring verified learning outcomes.The resolutions adopted at the conclave on infrastructure development, teacher recruitment and training, and other requirements for improving school, higher and technical education would be sent to the Centre for necessary action.The conclave, held on the theme “Implementation of NEP 2020: Vision, Challenges and Opportunities for the North-Eastern States”, was attended by representatives from seven northeastern states, including education ministers and academicians.Addressing the valedictory session as the chief guest, Tripura Higher Education Minister Kishor Barman said the conclave marked not an end but the beginning of a new chapter for education in the Northeast. He said implementation of the policy remained the central focus of the discussions.He said the success of a policy was measured by the change it brought to students, including those in the most remote villages.Education, he said, should not be confined to producing degree holders for employment but should also nurture problem-solvers, innovators, entrepreneurs and responsible citizens, in keeping with the objectives outlined in the conclave’s documentation.Speaking about the potential of NEP 2020 to transform higher education and youth development in the northeastern states, Anandrao V Patel, additional secretary in the Union education ministry, called for common standards and stronger mechanisms for academic interaction among young people in the region.He said improved coordination among institutions would help students exchange ideas, access academic resources and benefit from opportunities available across the region.He called on the states to strengthen linkages among universities, colleges, research institutions and students so that young people in the region could participate fully in the emerging national education ecosystem.Patel said the region had much to offer the rest of the country and could serve as an important centre for learning, cultural exchange and knowledge development.He added that Centre would extend all possible support for the successful implementation of NEP 2020 in the region.
