Schools in Mumbai and Cambridge are now offering students more flexibility in selecting subjects and combinations tailored to their individual needs. This initiative aligns with the vision of the National Education Policy 2020, which emphasizes increased choice and a learner-centred approach to education. A senior official from Cambridge University Press highlighted the importance of this shift in educational strategy.
“Cambridge offers schools the flexibility to choose subjects and combinations based on their students’ needs. “Early assessment can help schools understand learners’ strengths and areas for development, while exposure to different subjects and careers can help learners understand what interests them. Cambridge, therefore, invests significantly in professional development, helping educators strengthen learner-centred approaches, active learning, assessment for learning, metacognition and differentiated teaching, he added.
Cambridge has a significant presence in India, with around 850 schools offering its curriculum and examinations, a number growing by about 15 per cent annually, Cambridge University Press and Assessment Group Managing Director, International Education, Rod Smith, told PTI. This closely aligns with the NEP 2020 vision of moving away from rigid streams and a one-size-fits-all approach toward greater choice, flexibility and learner-centred education,” Smith said.
This can support more informed pathway choices, rather than choosing a career first and discovering later that it does not align with their interests or strengths,” Smith said. “It can also contribute to learner wellbeing by helping them pursue directions that better align with who they are,” he added. Smith said that teachers and school leaders are critical to making this happen.
However, learners should be given opportunities to explore different subjects before choosing their specialisations, and this process should begin at the school level, he opined.
