A Regional Workshop on the theme of ‘Improving Education Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) in Aspirational Districts and Blocks’ kicked off in Itanagar in Arunachal Pradesh, bringing together stakeholders from all of NER. The workshop, organized by the Department of School Education & Literacy (DoSEL) in collaboration with NITI Aayog, was inaugurated by Shri Chowna Mein, Deputy Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh, in the presence of Dr. Arvind Virmani, Member of NITI Aayog, Chief Secretary of Arunachal Pradesh, and other dignitaries. District administrators from different Aspirational Blocks and Districts of NER attended the event. Focus on Holistic Education

Ms. A. Srija, Economic Adviser to DoSEL, Ministry of Education, joined the inaugural session through video conferencing. She highlighted the transformative impacts of NEP 2020 and the National Curriculum Framework for School Education-NCF-School Education that the policy will have in changing the face of the education landscape, especially for underdeveloped areas.
Ms. Srija said while highlighting the principles of NEP, “NEP 2020 sets out to transform the education sector by focusing on equitable access, inclusive development, and high-quality learning outcomes for all students. Aspirational Districts and Blocks are at the heart of this transformation.”

She also elaborated on Vidyanjali, the school volunteer initiative to fill infrastructural and learning gaps by mobilizing community, corporate social responsibility (CSR), and alumni support. The initiative looks to build stronger education delivery and overall development in Aspirational Districts and Blocks.

Technical Sessions Focus on Education Challenges

The workshop had technical sessions on various critical aspects that could be inputted into improving the educational framework of the region. This included the following topics:

• Education Infrastructure Development: Developing school facilities for equitable resource access.
• Teacher Training: Enhancing pedagogical capacities and training for better pedagogy for effective teaching.
• Enhanced Pedagogy: Innovative learning methods that improve the educational outcomes of students in regions that require more effort and attention.
• Dropout Rate Mitigation: Focused approaches to reduce school dropout rates by addressing socio-economic challenges.
  Experts and district administrators shared insights and best practices, highlighting initiatives that have yielded measurable improvements in educational indicators in their respective regions.

Inaugural Address Highlights Aspirational Goals

Shri Chowna Mein, in his inaugural address, complimented the Ministry of Education and NITI Aayog by choosing education as a transformatory tool in Aspiration Districts. “The investing in education is indeed a key to unlocking of potential youth and ensuring of sustainable development in the North Eastern Region,” he asserted.
Dr. Arvind Virmani stressed that grassroots-level administrators play a critical role in translating policy objectives into actionable outcomes. He appreciated the collaborative approach of engaging local governance, communities, and educators in driving progress.

This concludes with increased collaboration between the departments of governments, local authorities, and organizations in civil society that uniquely face challenges of this geography. By policy frameworks and initiatives such as Vidyanjali and NEP 2020, it aims to create benchmarks around educational excellence in this geographical region.
The deliberations reminded us of the importance of infrastructural development aligned to community engagement, to shape an inclusive education system where all potential can be grown and disparities met. With this workshop progressing, actionable strategies are to be articulated towards improving the outcome of Aspirational Districts and ensure that the North Eastern Region has an assured future of youth potential.