The opening remarks of the G-20 Education Ministers’ Meeting were given by Union Minister of Education and Skill Development Dharmendra Pradhan, who is also the co-chair of the troika. His interventions focused on the topic “Recovery, Re-imagine and Rebuild Stronger.”
In order to establish a new world where education continues to serve as the central hub for tackling shared difficulties, he stressed the value of sharing experiences with one another and cooperating with one another.
He continued by saying that India’s National Education Policy 2020, which is built on the fundamental principles of access, equity, quality, affordability, and accountability, serves as a beacon for encouraging possibilities for lifelong learning and realising the G20’s common goal.
Pradhan emphasised India’s quick progress in realising the creative potential of every learner through the execution of NEP 2020 and creating a more resilient and inclusive education and skilling ecosystem.
He claimed that formalising early childhood care and education, assisting children with disabilities, fostering digital and multi-modal learning, creating flexible entry-exit pathways, and fusing education with skills—all of which are essential for enhancing learning outcomes—are areas where India is placing a special emphasis.
In order to broaden the scope of education and also to realise the goal of making education egalitarian and accessible, he added that India has operationalized virtual schools, is setting up a digital university, and has 260+ TV channels dedicated to education in several Indian languages.
According to Pradhan, India is welcoming foreign universities to establish campuses in GIFT City in Ahmedabad as a result of the NEP 2020’s advancement of internationalisation in education. Additionally, we are working on policy changes that will enable international universities to open campuses all around India.
Pradhan emphasised India’s commitment to collaborating with G20 members to create an educational system where learning outcomes are in accordance with capabilities needed in the twenty-first century. He continued, “All efforts should be made to harness the full potential of our G20 EdWG in order for education to be the driver of global growth.
He continued by saying that the G20 Education Group has established an agenda that addresses the difficulties and extraordinary changes that have occurred in the international institutional environment. He continued by saying that India was still committed to working with the G20 to improve education systems so that everyone could rebuild and recover more effectively.
HE Dr. Mohamad Maliki Bin Osman, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office, Second Minister for Education & Foreign Affairs, Singapore; HE Dr. Ahmed Belhoul Al Falasi, Minister of Education and MoS for Entrepreneurship and SME, UAE; and H.E. Dr. Hamad M.H. Al Sheikh, Minister of Education in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia held bilateral meetings with Pradhan on the sidelines of the G20 Education Ministers’ Meeting. Deepening interactions in education and skill development were the main topics of conversation in the bilateral sessions.
Prasanta Patnaik