UNESCO New Delhi Office Launches State of the Education Report for India 2024

UNESCO has launched the “2024 State of the Education Report for India,” focusing on Culture and Arts Education.

New Delhi, December 24, 2024—The UNESCO Regional Office for South Asia at New Delhi has launched the sixth edition of its annual flagship report, “Rhythms of Learning.” This “2024 State of the Education Report for India” focuses on Culture and Arts Education.

This year’s report highlights the vital role that culture and arts education play in fostering creativity, promoting inclusive and equitable education, enhancing social cohesion, and advancing sustainable development. In a diverse country like India, where culture and the arts are deeply rooted in its heritage, it is essential to integrate these elements into the education system to ensure holistic and inclusive learning.

This report represents the first study adapting UNESCO’s Framework for Culture and Arts Education to the specific context of India. It offers a customized approach that addresses the country’s unique cultural and educational needs. The report aims to enhance the role of culture and arts education in India by providing valuable insights and practices for all stakeholders. Tim Curtis, Director and Representative of the UNESCO Regional Office for South Asia, stated, “Culture and arts education is a transformative tool for fostering creativity, critical thinking, and empathy—essential skills for tackling the complex challenges of today’s world.”

The report employs a mixed-methods approach that includes secondary data analysis, policy reviews, research literature, interviews, and an online survey. It features exemplary case studies and initiatives from different regions of India, highlighting successful practices and innovative strategies in cultural and arts education.

The report aligns with UNESCO’s Framework for Culture and Arts Education, adopted at the Abu Dhabi World Conference earlier this year. It provides a roadmap to enhance access, equity, and the institutionalization of arts education ecosystems across India. These objectives align with India’s National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and the National Curriculum Framework (NCF) 2023. Both frameworks promote innovative strategies such as Art-Integrated Learning (AIL) and underscore the importance of preserving traditional and local knowledge.

The report concludes with ten specific recommendations for stakeholders in the education sector to enhance the importance of culture and arts education in India.

1. Create a culture and arts education steering committee to promote its importance and initiatives.
2. Enhance connectivity between rural and urban areas through culture and arts education.
3. Strengthen the teaching capacity within the culture and arts education field.
4. Promote culture and arts education to foster comprehensive lifelong learning.
5. Utilize technology to improve accessibility to culture and arts education.
6. Establish centers of excellence dedicated to culture and arts education.
7. Launch new undergraduate programs focused on culture and arts education.
8. Create a national repository for culture and arts educational resources.
9. Develop an effective assessment system to ensure the quality implementation of culture and arts pedagogy.
10. Establish a dedicated fund for culture and arts education initiatives.

The launch event also included a live instrumental musical performance by the Naadvistaar Foundation, emphasizing the report’s central theme of merging arts and education to foster creativity, cultural pride, and a sense of shared humanity.

Source: UNESCO New Delhi Office

— The CitiTimes Editor is a member of the Association of Higher Education Professionals (MAHEP), an active participant in the American Association of University Administrators (AAUA), and an independent appraiser of governmental education plans, certified by the UNESCO International Institute for Educational Planning (UNESCO-IIEP) Paris.