The British Council, the UK's international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities, today hosted a School Education Conference in collaboration with the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) to improve multilingual pedagogy and practice in classrooms throughout India. The National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCF-SE) and the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 are two recent policy reforms that are in line with this conference.

Representatives and policymakers from more than 200 schools, educational institutions, and apex body leaders, including the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT), and English and Foreign Languages University, attended the conference, which was opened by Sh. Sanjay Kumar IAS, Secretary, Department of School Education and Literacy, and Sh. Rahul Singh IAS, Chairperson, Central Board of Secondary Education.

In accordance with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, the workshops focused on showcasing and exchanging best practices in multilingual education and pedagogy. The main topics of discussion centre on investigating cutting-edge teaching methods that align with the National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCF-SE) and NEP 2020, with a focus on multilingual education.

Sh. Rahul Singh IAS, Chairperson, Central Board of Secondary Education

"The Central Board of Secondary Education and the British Council have been collaborating to exchange knowledge and learning in support of transformative classroom change," stated Alison Barrett MBE, Director India, British Council. "This year, we will concentrate on improving multilingual pedagogy and practice, which is essential for bolstering fundamental literacy and numeracy abilities and preparing students for a multilingual workplace."

Additionally, the conference gave legislators and educators a forum to work together, advancing important educational changes. Trainers from a variety of organisations and UK universities, including well-known institutions like the University of Birmingham, Goethe University Frankfurt, ELT Consultant, English and Foreign Languages University, and CBSE, presented workshops, plenary sessions, and panel discussions as part of the conference.

The conference's theme, "Enhancing Multilingual Pedagogy and Practice in the Classroom," brought together linguists, educators, policymakers, and pedagogical professionals to discuss strategies to collaborate.

Sh. Sanjay Kumar IAS, Secretary, Department of School Education and Literacy

Sh. Sanjay Kumar, Secretary of Education and Department of Education and Literacy, Ministry of Education, told the conference delegates, "We have started a crucial journey to improve multilingual pedagogy throughout India. The National Education Policy 2020 emphasises the importance of creating inclusive learning environments that support a variety of languages, given the great linguistic diversity of our nation. Our combined efforts are concentrated on equipping teachers with the resources and methods required to facilitate multilingualism in the classroom."

The event aimed to create conditions in which children may thrive both academically and personally, while also respecting and appreciating their language heritage. Multilingualism "not only promotes cognitive development but also enhances empathy and respect for other cultures and languages"—values that are crucial for creating a cohesive, inclusive, and pluralistic society—as stated in the NEP 2020.