Sri Lankan delegation visits Haryana to study NIPUN Haryana mission

An 18-member delegation from Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Education has arrived in Haryana to study the implementation of the NIPUN Haryana Mission, a state initiative to enhance foundational literacy and numeracy among primary school students.

Led by the Deputy Director General of the National Institute of Education, the delegation includes key officials overseeing Sri Lanka’s education system, directors of early childhood development and primary education, policy and planning experts, and senior representatives from UNICEF Sri Lanka.

Their visit, scheduled from February 11, will involve interactions with Haryana’s school education department, site visits to primary schools, and discussions on best practices.

Before reaching Haryana, the delegation engaged with Union government officials in Delhi, including Archana Sharma Awasthi, Joint Secretary, Department of School Education & Literacy, and academicians from NCERT.

They were briefed on India’s National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, Samagra Shiksha, the National Curriculum Framework, and the NIPUN Bharat Mission—which aims to ensure foundational learning for all children by the end of Class 3.

The discussions highlighted India’s emphasis on mother tongue-based learning and holistic education reforms.

The visit follows the release of the Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) 2024 on January 28, which showcased Haryana’s strong performance in foundational literacy and numeracy, particularly in Classes 3, 5, and 8, indicating a significant recovery post-pandemic.

Haryana, considered a frontrunner in implementing NEP 2020 reforms, has set benchmarks in early education, drawing international interest.

Launched on July 30, 2021, as part of the NIPUN Bharat Mission, Haryana’s initiative focuses on strengthening Hindi and English literacy alongside numeracy skills.

Officials believe that Haryana’s approach can serve as a model for Sri Lanka, which is looking to adopt similar strategies to enhance its primary education system.

Source: The New Indian

--Agencies