1. Capacity Building for Implementation

Implementation of the NCF will have many steps. Including the development of State Curriculum Frameworks (SCFs) and other Curriculum Frameworks that may be based on the NCF, appropriate syllabi, textbooks, and other materials. Hence, hereon, Curriculum Framework (CF) will be used to denote the relevant frameworks.

Curricular literacy among all stakeholders, whether associated with public or private schools, academic support structures, or Teacher education institutions, is critical for the implementation of the NCF.

Section 1.1 - Curriculum Framework Literacy for All Stakeholders

a. Stakeholders involved in the implementation of Curriculum Frameworks

Teachers, Head Teachers, Principals, and syllabus and TLM developers are the key persons involved in the implementation of the relevant CFs. In addition, all the stakeholders in the ecosystem within which they work must be able to interpret the CFs in the context of their roles and support them. This will include personnel in academic and administrative support structures, as well as Teacher Education institutions. Parents and community members must also be CF literate; as key stakeholders in schooling, they must be able to understand changes in curriculum and processes and the expected learning.

It must be noted that the duration of the capacity development programmes, the modes, and the bodies that should conduct them, as mentioned in this chapter, are only indicative. The important matter is to ensure that high-quality and relevant capacity development of all stakeholders happens with speed and that relevant handbooks and other materials are made available. This would be relevant for all Grades.

b. Components of Curriculum Framework Literacy

The components of CF literacy are a deep understanding of:

i. The approaches and principles of the CF to achieve the Aims of Education

ii. Key curricular changes and transitions in pedagogy, content, and assessment in each Curricular Area to achieve these aims

iii. Roles and responsibilities of each stakeholder to execute the changes

iv. The importance of the above components This understanding is necessary especially for Teachers to exercise their autonomy, and to take decisions best suited to the needs and context of their students.

c. Orientation to the relevant Curriculum Framework

An overall orientation to the relevant CF must be planned for all stakeholders at the earliest.

i. SCERT (or the relevant body) will anchor the design and module development for this programme. It will be implemented by the DIETs (and relevant bodies) using well-trained, high-capacity Resource Persons.

ii. A 2-3 day intensive orientation/programme must be designed separately for each set of stakeholders. This is necessary because, in addition to common areas, some aspects of the relevant CF will require a deeper focus based on specific roles and responsibilities.

1) All stakeholders must be oriented to the broad curricular, pedagogical, and assessment approach of the CF, as well as school restructuring. They must understand the key transitions and why they are necessary. They must also understand the expectations from schools regarding culture and processes.

2) All stakeholders must also receive a broad orientation to the Learning Standards and their implications for schools and classrooms.

3) Focus areas for Teachers must include, illustratively, details of the Learning Standards, Curricular Areas, experiential learning, a competency-based approach, formative assessments, and connecting to students’ context.

4) Focus areas for Head Teachers and Principals must include, illustratively, expectations from them regarding school culture and processes, school restructuring, as well as approaches to curriculum, pedagogy, and assessment.

5) Focus areas for academic functionaries must include, illustratively, the key transitions they must support Teachers make, particularly in pedagogy and assessment. They must also receive an orientation on maintaining an empowering culture for Teachers.

6) Focus areas for administrative functionaries must include, illustratively, resourcing requirements for implementation of the relevant CF and monitoring and review informed by key transitions. They must also receive an orientation on maintaining an empowering culture for Teachers.

7) Parents and community members must be oriented to the Learning Standards so that they can follow the progress of students in the family. They must be aware of the ways in which they can support schools, whether as Resource Persons or by ensuring enrolment and attendance. Online modules for NCF literacy can also be available for interested members of the community.

d. Academic functionaries identified as per their specialisation must also undergo a more intensive face-to-face programme for building capacity in Art Education, Vocational Education, Physical Education and Well-being, and Education in Interdisciplinary Areas. This programme should be conducted annually in blended mode for 2-3 years after implementation of the CF, with at least six days of face-to-face interaction followed by pre-scheduled online sessions.

Section 1.2 - Capacity Building of Teachers

Capacity building of Teachers to implement the CF must be comprehensively done across Stages of schooling, with a focus on the following.

a. Overall Approach to Capacity Building

i. The preferred mode is face-to-face, followed by frequent interactions and continuing onsite support. The programmes must be supplemented with digital material, relevant handbooks, and other training materials. Capacity building may be organised by DIETs or other bodies, and continued support will be provided by block-level and cluster-level functionaries. Modules and materials will be collaboratively developed by relevant stakeholders brought together by the SCERT.

ii. As far as possible, private schools could be part of these processes; otherwise, they must develop their own plans.

iii. Broadly, the modules for capacity building will address CF literacy, Learning Standards, Competency-based approach, Stage-wise pedagogy and assessment, textbooks and materials, and experiential learning. Also, Teachers must be oriented on how to leverage local resources, particularly for Vocational Education, Physical Education and Well-being, and Art Education.

b. Capacity building for Mathematics, Languages, Science, Social Science, and other subjects in the Secondary Stage

i. Capacity building of Teachers related to these Curricular Areas is necessary for them to understand and fully utilise the empowerment from the CF.

ii. This can be in the form of intensive face-to-face programmes to be conducted for about 10 days. This must be supplemented by single-day interactions at the block and cluster levels spread over the year, preferably face-to-face — the total of these single-day interactions should add up to about 15 days over the year. This must be continued for at least 2-3 years after the implementation of the relevant CF.

iii. For Secondary Stage Teachers, the capacity development will have to be aligned with the subjects being offered and their design.

c. Capacity building in The World Around Us, Art Education, Vocational Education, Physical Education and Well-being, and Education in Interdisciplinary Areas

i. The capacity building of Teachers related to these Curricular Areas must take into consideration the existing realities. For the first few years after the implementation of the relevant CF, Teachers who are not necessarily qualified to teach these subjects will have to help students attain Curricular Goals adequately, as per the design of the curriculum. For example, a Teacher of Social Science may have to teach Individuals in Society in Grade 9, and a Teacher of The World Around Us may have to teach Art Education in the Preparatory Stage. Teachers will undergo special orientation for these areas and will also require more intense ongoing support compared to other areas.

ii. For these Teachers, intensive face-to-face programmes must be conducted for 10 days twice in the first year after implementation of the relevant CF, totalling 20 days. A calendar of five follow-up on-site visits by Resource Persons for at least one day must be prepared between the two sets of face-to-face interactions. As above, this must be supplemented by single-day interactions at the block and cluster level spread over the year, preferably face-to-face — the total of these single-day interactions should add up to about 15 days over the year.

iii. In the second year after the implementation of the CF, a single face-to-face programme of 10 days duration with single-day interactions can be planned. This must be continued for at least 2-3 years after the implementation of the relevant CF.