Dr. R. Varadarajan is founder-principal of the NES International School, Mumbai. An alumnus of Mumbai and Diandra (Italy) universities, Dr. Varadarajan is also founder-chairman of the Mumbai-based National Education Society and Saraswathi Vidya Bhavan group of 62 educational institutions with an aggregate enrolment of 47,280 students and 1,820 teachers in Mumbai and Thane.

Are you satisfied with the Union Budget 2018-19 allocation of Rs.85,010 crore for education?

Education is the fundamental right of all children and providing access to education should be the government’s foremost priority. Therefore, any increase in the budgetary allocation towards education is more than welcome.
This year’s budget reflects the government’s responsiveness to this need. An aggressive approach to improve the quality of education and to make pre-nursery to K-12 education a holistic continuum with equal emphasis on developing life skills is commendable. In addition, allocations for research and development in emerging technologies and a move towards digital learning, and expanding web connectivity across the country including remote areas, is indicative of a progressive vision to grow and adapt to the digital world. 

What are your Top 4 suggestions for reforming K-12 education?

• Transform school curriculums to teach concepts and skills.

• Introduce digital literacy programmes from preschool to class XII.

• Integrate entrepreneurship with education and redesign syllabuses to cater to industry, agriculture and social needs.

• Allocate maximum funds for teacher training to effectively facilitate improved learning outcomes.