A Landmark Dialogue on Education Lands at New Delhi's Dwarka Campus
New Delhi, May 13: On Tuesday, GGSIPU decided to make its Dwarka Campus a meeting point for two of the most popular education systems around the world. The Women’s Collective Forum (WCF), in partnership with the Legal Aid Centre in the University School of Law and Legal Studies (USLLS), hosted an event titled “From Reform to Implementation: Education Reform and Delivery Across the UK and Indian Systems.” This event brought together policymakers, authors, legal scholars, and students to gain an understanding of what education reform means when ideas move from the drawing board to the classroom. The event was especially important and very well-timed for students entering the uncertain world of the new economy and labor market.
Who Was in the Room and Why It Mattered
The event featured a variety of speakers with backgrounds including legislation, taxation, civil society, and academia. One notable attendee was Smt. Smriti Zubin Irani, Chairperson of the Alliance for Global Good, and an Advisor to WCF. The UK’s former Minister of Schools and author of ‘Reforming Lessons,’ Sir Nick Gibb, provided a case study of Britain’s journey on curriculum reform and teacher accountability. Dr Vikram Sahay, Chief Commissioner of Income Tax, Mumbai, and author of ‘Educating the Educator’, gave the Indian practising angle. Prof. (Dr.) Mahesh Verma, Vice Chancellor of GGSIPU, provided the institutional angle and Shri Praveen Khandelwal, Secretary General of CAIT and MP of Chandni Chowk, provided the constituency and community angle. Together, they shaped a discussion that went beyond academic theory.
Two books provided an outline of the intellectual content at the event. Sir Nick Gibb’s “Reforming Lessons” examines how structural changes to the UK’s schools, which promote phonics, knowledge, and the development of teachers, have all improved measurable learning outcomes over the last 10 years. Dr. Vikram Sahay’s “Educating the Educator” focuses on India and urges readers to think about teachers before anything else. Both think about what their countries have learned and what institutional leaders need to do to overcome the major hurdles when implementing reforms. This was a great opportunity for the students of law, education, and public policy to see how national policies are the building blocks to decisions made in individual classrooms, and how these decisions shape career choices
Key Takeaways Students Should Know
Differences in policy opinion did not stop the speakers from crafting their addresses specifically to give advice on actions to take. When talking about the importance of applied education and its connection to employment, Smt. Smriti Irani’s suggestion to conduct skill mapping of the constituents of Chandni Chowk over at GGSIPU and create skill-development programming based on local demand was especially popular. Prof. Mahesh Verma announced the establishment of the new East Campus of GGSIPU and urged students to develop essential skills and the qualities of good citizens before they graduate. This perspective was also held by Shri Praveen Khandelwal, who further encouraged students to see themselves as participants in building a new nation, rather than passive learners. NITI Aayog's position as a policy think tank was discussed in an interactive session, where the speakers elaborated on how various policy verticals and their respective implementation frameworks help bridge governance gaps and, ultimately, transform and shape the education system. The speakers' unified opinion was that students who construct their professional identities during their university years hold a significant advantage over those who defer that work until after they graduate.
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