Dr. Deepak Madhok
Chairman, Sunbeam Group of Educational Institutions, Varanasi

Dr. Deepak Madhok is chairman of the Varanasi-based Sunbeam Group of Educational Institutions (SGEI) which includes six CBSE-affiliated Sunbeam schools in Varanasi, 17 associate schools under the franchise model in UP, two women’s arts and science colleges, and a free-of-charge vocational training school for underprivileged children. These institutions together host 30,000 students in Uttar Pradesh.

• I hope the imminent NCFSE will encourage school managements to design curriculums that develop the whole child, beyond academics. The new curriculum framework should fully integrate non-academic activities and provide a roadmap to assess students’ progress towards holistic education. Simultaneously, it should suggest ways and means to improve teacher training programmes.
• I hope it will also suggest how to equip children with the skills and strategies to become self-learners.
• NCFSE needs to provide guidelines to incorporate environment education and the UN Sustainable Development Goals into school curriculums. Children from primary through higher secondary, need to acquire the knowledge and skills to contribute meaningfully to achieve the SDGs.
• I hope the new NCFSE will give a strong push to competency and skill development in primary-secondary education. This will improve children’s employability and entrepreneurship skills.