'Viksit Bharat' dream hinges on quality education in schools: UN resident coordinator in India

New Delhi: Highlighting the immense potential of India's students as catalysts for change, UN's resident coordinator in the country Shombi Sharp has said the dream of 'Viksit Bharat' hinges on ensuring that children in school receive not only quality education but are also sensitised to becoming "responsible model citizens of tomorrow".

United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) on Wednesday released a statement on its 'RiseUp4Peace' educational initiative that is focused on engaging and empowering young people to "resist negative influences, emerging vulnerabilities and risky behaviours".

The UN Resident Coordinator for India highlighted the immense potential of "India's 265.2 million students as catalysts for change", emphasising the importance of quality and values-driven education in shaping inclusive and peaceful societies, it said.

"The dream of 'Viksit Bharat', as articulated by the Hon'ble Prime Minister of India, hinges on ensuring that children in school receive not only quality education but are also sensitised to become responsible model citizens of tomorrow," he was quoted as saying in the statement.

India's National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and the National Curriculum Framework (NCF) 2023 both recognise the need to nurture responsible citizens who can contribute to peace and harmony in an increasingly complex world. But this ambition goes beyond the traditional scope of education -- it requires "reimagining educational interventions in classrooms, schools and communities", the UNODC said.

In several bustling classrooms across India, there is a "powerful movement" quietly taking shape -- one that champions peace, lawfulness and inclusion through education. At the heart of this movement are not just the policy-makers, educators or institutions, but young people who stand as the most crucial catalysts of change, the statement said.

Emphasising the initiative's relevance and impact, over 70 policy-makers, educators and young champions ideated and charted a roadmap for fostering peace, inclusion and lawfulness in education -- as envisioned in NEP 2020 and NCF 2023 -- at a 'RiseUp4Peace' policy consultation convened by India's apex curriculum body, the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) and UNODC South Asia in New Delhi.

Working in mixed groups, policy-makers, educators and students exchanged practical insights on curriculum integration, good practices and new ideas as well as the way forward. Key insights shared by educators emphasised the importance of a holistic approach to education.

Launched this year, the cross-cutting collaborative initiative has engaged over 30,000 stakeholders across 14 states and Union Territories (UTs) through participatory capacity building of educators, co-creation of school-led initiatives and activity-based learning of students.

'RiseUp4Peace' has spurred innovative interventions blending arts, technology and sports to empower students with the support of a diverse set of partners -- public, private and rural schools, NCERT, DERT Meghalaya, Raipur Police and educator and youth groups, the statement said.

NCERT Joint Director Amarendra Prasad Behera urged educators to actively build capacities and develop values-driven modules to transform education.

"NEP 2020 and NCF 2023 envision education as a bridge to a more just and peaceful society. Such collaborations transform vision into action," he said.

The consultation reinforced the call for a whole-of-society approach to education, with policy-makers, educators and students as equal partners in creating a roadmap to promote transformative education for attaining the Sustainable Development Goals.