The
National Education Policy 2020 introduced by the Ministry of Human Resource
Development (MHRD) represents a significant shift in India's educational
framework to transform the education system and ensure universal access to
quality education. This policy is founded on five key pillars: access, equity,
quality, affordability, and accountability.
The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 is currently in its initial
stages of implementation in the school education sector across most states in
India. The implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 in
secondary schools has led to diverse opinions among teachers. The present study
is an attempt to know the awareness level of secondary school teachers about NEP-2020
in the state of Odisha. The researcher
used a well prepared and standardized questionnaire as the tool for collection
of data from a sample of 150 teachers working in 25 secondary schools located
in Ganjam District of Odisha using stratified Random Sampling technique. Mean
score values, standard deviations and independent t-tests were used for
analysis of data. The study found that the awareness among secondary school
teachers about NEP-2020 was moderate, with a considerable proportion of
teachers having limited knowledge about the policy. The findings of the study
revealed that the demographic variables – gender, location of school have no
influence on the awareness level of secondary school teachers towards NEP-2020.
However, the type of the school has significant relationship on their awareness
on NEP-2020 in school education. The study highlights the importance of
improving teachers' awareness of the NEP-2020 and its implications for the
education system, particularly for those who are less informed. The findings
provide valuable insights for policymakers to develop strategies that can
effectively implement the NEP and enhance the quality of education in India