Teachers are at the center of education. They are responsible for transformation of personality and character of students. This is particularly true for schoolchildren. The NEP committee has acknowledged
that the current quality and motivation level of schoolteachers need much improvement. It is necessary to have a serious look at the “teacher education” if the school education reforms have to be meaningful.
Committee Recommendations for Teacher Education:
It is in the above the above background that the committee has made far reaching recommendations for rehaul of “school-teacher education”. Major recommendations in this regard include the following:
Discontinuance of Current System:
The current practice of having “standalone teacher education colleges” has not served the purpose of creating teachers in the real sense. It has really not achieved the goal creating persons who know “what to teach” along with “how to teach”. Therefore, this structure may have to be discontinued.
Launch of New Integrated Program:
The committee has recommended the launch of a new “4-year integrated BEd program” for teacher education after 12th standard. These courses would be run by universities or multi-disciplinary degree awarding colleges. The teaching process here will make the teacher-students learn “subjects” as well as “teaching pedagogy” thereof.
For example, the integrated BA-BEd program will discuss nuances of subjects of arts from perspective of school education and teaching methodology thereof. The same is true for integrated BCom or BSc and BEd courses. This system would, therefore, create teachers who know the subjects they will teach and also how to teach.
During these integrated programs, there will be internships with local schools where the potential teachers will get an actual feel for teaching. These multi-disciplinary institutes will also run MEd and PhD in education courses.
Strengthening TET Mechanism:
The committee has recommended to strengthen the “teacher eligibility tests (TET)” at all levels of school education (foundation, preparatory, module and secondary) so that only really deserving candidates can enter teaching profession. This includes making it mandatory.
Continuous Education:
Teacher education at school level will be a continuous process. The committee has recommended that to remain update in their own field, every teacher must undergo a minimum of 50 hours of “continued professional development (CPD)” per year. This will help the teachers to update and strengthen their knowledge as well as skills.
National Professional Standard for Teachers:
To arrive at a common denominator, the committee has made a far-reaching recommendation to develop “National Professional Standard for Teachers (NPST)” that will define the broad competencies for teachers across the boards including their roles, performance evaluation and merit-based promotion. This will help bringing in uniformity in the quality of schoolteachers on an all-India basis.
Special Educators:
India needs many special educators to take care of “special need children”. The committee has, therefore, recommended creating specific and relevant short-term certificates for such teachers as a part of their curriculum.
Maser Tutors Enrolment:
Formal restructuring of teacher education as discussed above may not be adequate for the large number of teachers India needs particularly specialists in different areas. To bridge the gap, the committee has suggested having specialists or “master tutors” who are in the local community and specialised in each area (say carpentry or dance or music) and they may be involved in teaching in some way or the other. Similarly, in remote and rural areas, the current system of “District Institute of Education and Training (DIETs)” will continue to operate to help fill in gaps in number of teachers.
Launch of NCF:
One of the major recommendations of the committee is formulation of comprehensive “National Curriculum Framework (NCF)” for teacher education that will set the entire agenda for teacher education. This will standardise the quality and competency of schoolteachers at different levels.
Current Stage of Implementation and Road Ahead:
If one looks at the above, several far-reaching recommendations have been made by the committee to rehaul the teacher education, particularly at the school level. On implementation, it is hoped that the country will develop competent teachers who are not only good in their own subject but also up-to-updated in relevant teaching pedagogies. The recommendations aim to create great Indian teachers who are next to none in the world.
However, like other aspects of NEP, here also the pace of implementation is quite slow. The only area where that was a specific guideline was in respect of TET, and that also following the directive from Hon Supreme Court. But there also, the matter is in limbo now as the matter is sub judice. In all other recommendations mentioned in the above paras, there is hardly any progress, including the launch of the 4-year integrated program on an all-India level.
There is lots of confusion and anxiety in the minds of the schoolteachers as to the future; hence, it is in fitness of things that the Government is clear in its directions and actions. The reforms of “teacher education” and “school education” must go hand in hand. Better we move fast to bring about a real transformation in school education.
