Education leaders from across Northeastern states discussed the purpose of education and the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 at the Guwahati Exploration Circle
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DIMAPUR — As many as 30 education leaders from across Northeastern states, including educators, researchers, policymakers, media professionals, and civil society leaders participated in the Guwahati Exploration Circle on “Rethinking the Purpose of Education”, held on 2 June.
The event highlighted the ‘significance of educational purpose in the Northeast, where education is closely linked to identity, language, culture, and community knowledge, as well as the possibilities young people imagine for themselves,’ stated a delayed update received here on Monday.
It was facilitated by Bengaluru-based nonprofit organisation Dream a Dream in partnership with the Network for Education Systems Transformation (NEST), a global network coordinated by the Centre for Universal Education at the Brookings Institution, USA.
Speaking at the event, Dr. Sreehari Ravindranath, Director, Research and Impact Assessment at Dream a Dream said, “The purpose of education cannot be defined by policy alone. It is shaped by the lived experiences, cultures, and aspirations of communities. These exploration circles create space for diverse voices to question what we value in education and to imagine more meaningful futures for children and young people.”
The update stated that the participants discussed how mindsets, relationships, and power structures shape ideas about education as well as influence policies, systems, and outcomes for children and young people.
It added that there was strong interest in hosting similar dialogues across the Northeast to encourage cross-state learning and more locally grounded approaches to education that respond to the realities and aspirations of local communities.
Over 80 education leaders from government and non-government sectors have come together since March 2026 in a series of dialogues across four cities--Bengaluru, Delhi, Mumbai, and Guwahati--to reflect on the purpose of education, it said, adding that the participants noted the gap between the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and everyday realities in schools though the framework aims at holistic and competency-based learning, highlighting the importance of relationships, emotional wellbeing, cultural identity, and human connection in shaping meaningful learning experiences.
“One theme resonated across all four cities: education is not just about what children know; it is also about who they become, where they belong, and how they relate to others and the world,” it said.
‘As India continues to invest in large-scale education reforms, these exploration circles highlight the need to create space for reflection and for diverse voices to collectively reimagine education systems that enable all children and young people to thrive,’ it said, adding that they are planning to organise more such programmes across the country.