Education systems must focus on resilience, innovation, cooperation: Pralhad Joshi at 13th BRICS meeting
Bhubaneswar, August 7
Union Education Minister Pralhad Joshi on Friday said education systems must focus on resilience, innovation, cooperation and sustainability to prepare young people for a rapidly changing world.
Joshi said India's BRICS chairmanship this year was guided by the theme "Building Resilience and Innovation for Cooperation and Sustainability", which he said had particular relevance for education.
Addressing the 13th BRICS Education Ministers' meeting, Joshi said, "Last month, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, I was entrusted with the responsibility of leading India's education sector. I consider this a responsibility of immense significance, especially given the scale and diversity of India's education ecosystem. I consider this, therefore, a special privilege that one of my early opportunities to engage with my international counterparts is here among the colleagues from the BRICS family. The 13th BRICS Education Ministers Meeting also assumes particular significance as India holds the BRICS chairmanship this year. I take this opportunity to express India's appreciation for the support and constructive engagement of all member countries in advancing our shared priorities."
Joshi said education systems must be able to deal with disruptions caused by pandemics, economic uncertainties, climate challenges and rapid technological changes, while continuing to evolve with the aspirations of each new generation.
He also emphasised the importance of keeping people at the centre of education, saying technology and economies may change, but the focus must remain on students, teachers, researchers and young people.
"India's chairmanship is guided by the theme 'Building Resilience and Innovation for Cooperation and Sustainability'. Each element of this theme has particular relevance for education. Resilience, because our education system must be capable of withstanding the disruptions, whether caused by pandemics, economic uncertainties, climate-related challenges, or the rapid pace of technological change. Innovation, because education systems cannot remain static when the world around them is changing so rapidly. They must continually evolve to meet the aspirations of each new generation and prepare our young people for opportunities that may not even exist today. And cooperation and sustainability, because none of us can address these challenges in isolation. The knowledge we create, the technologies we develop, and the institutions we strengthen must serve not only the present generation but the generations to come," Joshi said.
"This spirit of humanity first is particularly relevant to education. Technology will change, economies will transform, new professions will emerge, and old ones evolve. But at the centre of every education system must remain the human being: the child seeking an opportunity to learn, the teacher shaping the young minds, the researcher pursuing new knowledge, and the young person aspiring for a better future. That, I believe, should also be the guiding principles of our deliberations today," he further said.
The Ministry of Education has convened the 3rd BRICS Education Senior Officials' Meeting in Bhubaneswar a day earlier, bringing together senior officials and delegates from BRICS member countries.
According to the Ministry of Education, the meeting held detailed deliberations on the proposed BRICS Education Ministers' Declaration, including the BRICS Guiding Principles on Traditional and Indigenous Knowledge Systems, alongside cooperation in Early Childhood Care and Education, TVET and skills, collaborative research and innovation, mutual recognition of qualifications, and academic leadership.
— ANI
Reader Comments
"Human being at the centre of education" — absolutely beautiful line. In India we have Gurukul tradition which always put student-teacher relationship first. Nice to see that philosophy being echoed on global stage. But I wish the minister had spoken about vocational training and skill development more concretely. Our youth need jobs, not just ideals. 🇮🇳
While I appreciate the global leadership angle, let's be realistic. Our own schools struggle with basic infrastructure—lack of toilets, trained teachers, and outdated curricula. How can we talk about innovation and sustainability when millions of children still don't have access to quality primary education? Should fix our own house first before lecturing BRICS partners. Just saying.
The mention of traditional knowledge systems is interesting! India has so much to offer—from Ayurveda to ancient mathematics. Glad BRICS is recognizing indigenous wisdom. The New Education Policy does emphasize this too. Hopefully, this isn't just feel-good talk. 🇮🇳🙏
Interesting perspective from India. As someone from the West, I find the BRICS approach refreshing—more collaborative, less competitive. The "humanity first" principle sounds great in theory. But execution is key. Will follow up on how these declarations translate into student exchange programs and research collaborations. Hopefully this isn't just diplomatic rhetoric.
As a teacher in Kerala, I wish more attention was paid to teacher training and classroom-level innovation. We keep hearing about "new education policies" but in our daily reality, we struggle with overcrowded classrooms and outdated teaching methods. The minister's words are
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