Several officers made an impact in innumerable ways. Their personality reflected in the initiatives they undertook and when it comes to training teachers in ICT, the name of Maj Gen S S Nair shines through. A veteran who served for 35 years in the Army Education Corps is with the Birla Education Trust for the last 12 years.
A firm believer in fundamental values such as mental discipline, being organized, team work, cooperation, collaboration and a commitment to a task he is credited to have trained the Teachers in ICT way before it came into use. Under his leadership, teachers uploaded their teaching videos on YouTube giving them a worldwide platform. He is the brainchild behind Eco Park and the Science Park.
When asked what an officer brings to the table in the context of a private school, he said, “He or she is not different from a civilian in the education sector but what he or she brings to the table are fundamental values such as mental discipline, being organized, team work, cooperation, collaboration and a commitment to a task. Today, everyone talks about collaboration and the Army teaches one to coordinate and collaborate.”
Gen Nair is neck deep in academic activities. He says, “I am regularly in touch with the principals and teachers of the six schools under the Birla Education Trust and involved in the academic leadership.”
Speaking on the National Education Policy (2020) he lauds the document stating that unlike the previous reports, NEP has given the much needed fillip and energy to the educational sector and it is not a bulky document. The National Curriculum Framework (NCF) is a good document which provides guidelines to the principals on the implementation of provisions of NEP.
On the emphasis of experiential learning in NEP, he says, “We somehow lost to inculcate experiential learning in the last 30-40 years in India. There could be several reasons and one is the busy lifestyle. When we were young, we had a lot of time to see and learn things but life became busy and one started learning from books.”
Technology is pervading all sectors and education is no different. He states that schools should not just think about present technologies but skill students with emerging technologies. Citing an example, he says that one no longer hears much about coding as one heard a few years ago.
Teaching in the mother tongue is one of the major recommendations of NEP 2020. Gen Nair says that it would be very useful in the foundational years. The NEP is a wonderful document and in the next five years, the education world will witness a huge change.
When asked if the schools under the Birla Trust would be looking to change opt for more boards such as IB and IGCSE he says, “We have no plans. The CBSE is followed by a huge majority and has made several path breaking changes in the last few years. The CBSE evolved so well and is on par with any board.”
