TEACHERS AND STUDENTS
The Argument 1.1 The NPE Review Committee has by and large endorsed the policy relating to teachers as enunciated in the NPE. It has emphasized the need of continuous system of teacher education in which teachers are provided in-service training at regular intervals. While highlighting the need for overhauling the system of teacher education, it has appreciated the programme of strengthening of teacher training institutions, as envisaged in the NPE. It has made further suggestions regarding the need for proper selection of students for teacher training courses, strengthening the District Institutes of Education and Training, giving the teacher educators a leadership role in the educational system, inculcating the attributes of empathy, understanding the role of women in society, the role of education in our society and other similar attributes. It has also made comments/recommendations on the Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Teacher Education, welfare of teachers, teachers' participation in management, etc. But the Committee has not made any comments on one of the crucial areas of teacher education and that is the problem of unbridled expansion of teacher education institutions and the need for coferring statutory status on the National Council of Teacher Education, on which the NPE had made clear recommendations. Most of -the recommendations made by the Committee are in line with the NPE, 1986. However,
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a few of then need to be gone into greater detail. Some of the important issues taken up by the Committee are as follows.
Need for revamping the teacher education programmes: 1.2 The Committee has analysed the existing teacher training programmes and feels that the present teacher education programmes are theory-oriented, practiceteaching component is inadequate, there is little scope for the development of qualities like empathy, right attitude towards profession, children and society, and that there is no provision for organised and periodic in-service education of teachers. It, has also identified some other weaknesses in the,present system like inadequate infrastructure at the State and national levels, inadequate emphasis on developing professional skills, absence of proper evaluation system, etc. The which need to be Committee has also indicated approaches/included in the training programmes. These are child-centred approach, multi-grade teaching, continuous and comprehensive evaluation, Organisation of para-schools, linkages with ECCE, interaction with community, developing content on the basis of minimum levels of learning, etc. The Committee is also of the view that the teacher should have the capability to guide vocationalisation, of entire elementary education along with mastery over atleast one skill and understanding of how to integrate different subjects into an organised whole. The emphasis should be on developing a teacher rather than on training one.
1.3 The above line of thinking is in line with the National Policy on Education, 1986, which also speaks
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of complete overhaul of the system of teacher education in the country. The NPE also lays emphasis on continuing education of teachers and the need for teachers to meet the thrusts envisaged in this policy. The suggestions of the Committee for improvement of teacher education programmes are in consonance with the policy thrusts and therefore are welcome. In fact, the Committee has appreciated the NPE for launching a nation-wide programme of strengthening of teacher training institutions at the district level (DIETs).
Withdrawal of teaching licence: 1.4 The Committee is of the view that the teacher is also a professional like any other professional such as doctor, engineer or lawyer. To qualify and to remain as a professional person, one must have updated knowledge and skills. Therefore, it is essential that every teacher without exception goes through an in-service education programme once every five or six years. Requirement of updating must be linked to continuing as a professional. In the event of refusal to go through a re-orientation course or attending without learning anything, the teaching licence may be withdrawn.
1.5 The NPE also talks of creation of a system of teacher evaluation and laying down of norms of accountability with incentives for good performance and disincentives for non-performance. The idea of linking the continuance of teachers in their jobs with their periodic re-orientation does not seem to have been examined properly by the NPERC. While the need for
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periodic reorientation of teachers to update their knowledge in recognised and the Proposal given in the NPERC report may lead to increase in the accountability of teachers, their continuance as teacher should also be related to good quality teaching good professional conduct and functioning an per standards of profession. However withdrawal of teaching licence pre-supposes the existence of a licensing system for teachers and the pros and cons of licensing as many as 4 million teachers will have to be examined including the administrative infrastructure required for the same and the reactions of teachers' organisations to this proposal. It should also be examined whether such a thing has been attempted in other professions like doctors, engineers, etc. It would also have to be examined as to which agency will be maintaining the register of teachers and perform the licensing/de-licensing duties.
Internship mode of teacher training: 1.6 The Committee feels that the conventional approach of institution-based model of pre-service and/ or in-service teacher training may not be adequate to meet the challenge of UBE, since the existing system is isolated from the ground realities, linkage between theory and practice is weak and existing infrastructural facilities are just not adequate. The need for quality and relevance is of critical importance for UEE. The emphasis should, therefore, be on developing, a teacher rather than on training a teacher. The Committee has, therefore, proposed an alternative model termed 'Internship Model' of teacher training. Under this system, a sandwich pattern of training is suggested, starting with a brief period of
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'theoretical orientation', followed by long periods of supervised teaching in schools and alternating with short institution-based sessions. Bach trainee should be attached as an intern to an experienced and skilled teacher who should function as a role model. In the second and third years, the supervision may become less frequent and the trainees left to function more and more independently. The trainee would be certified as a trained teacher only after 3-5 years on the basis of continuous evaluation by the supervisors and senior teachers. The Internship Model has the better scope of development of requisite skills and attitudes in the teachers through long practice periods under the supervision of experienced and skilled teachers. It will also save the cost and paraphernalia of the conventional pre-service training course.
1.7 The Committee has itself recommended this model of training for 'para-teachers' only. For other teachers, they have only suggested that this model as a possible way of training may be explored. There are at the moment no well-documented experiences on the subject and the practical aspects for its adoption on a large scale and its advantages/disadvantages vis-a-vis institution-based training need to be examined further. An expert body like National Council of Teacher Education may be asked to go deep into the matter, but these cannot be tried in the Policy.
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Analysis of Recommendations
Recommendation No.277 2.1 Recommendation has been made for selection of students for teacher training courses through stringent aptitude and attainment, not merely on university grade or mark.
2.2 The NPE talks of reorganising teacher recruitment methods to ensure merit, objectivity and conformity with spatial and functional requirements. We need to create a system of selection of students in teacher training institutions which gives due representation to the weaker sections like members of the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, women of the area, etc. The system has to be such that it is objective and unfair inducements are not possible. While theoretically it is alright to plead for persons with right aptitude for the teaching profession, practically it will be very difficult to devise a system like this and to keep the system completely fair and objective. There is a possibility of the system being misused and unfair practices coming up in it and it, therefore, needs detailed examination.
Summary: Any system of recruitment of teachers/ teacher trainees should ensure merit, objectivity and conform with spatial and functional requirements. Stipulation of aptitude and attainment needs detailed examination.
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Recommendations No.278-281 2.3 The recommendations relate to the content and process of teacher training programmes and do not have a strong bearing on the policy because in their salient aspects, the recommendations are already incorporated in the NPE/POA.
2.4 Recommendations have following major parts:-
(i) There should be an integration of theory and practice in the training programmes and qualities such as empathy, right attitude towards profession and society are developed.
(ii) In-service programme should be related to the specific needs of the teachers and should also take care of the future needs of teacher growth, evaluation and follow-up. Innovative strategies and pilot trial of significant activities should be encouraged.
(iii) DIETs should have the major responsibility for organising in-service courses for elementary school teachers.
(iv) Distance education system for in-service education should be developed.
2.5 There is no dispute on the suggestion that the training programmes should be competence-based having an integration of theory and practice and should be so designed as to inculcate right qualities and values. It is also true that in-service training courses should be so designed as to meet the present specific needs of the
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teachers as well as the future requirements of their professional development. The teacher training courses should be designed keeping the above needs in mind and these should be regularly revised and modified according to the developments in the field and needs of the teachers. SCERTs have to take necessary steps in the matter according to the specific needs of the States/regions with NCERT/NCTE providing guidelines at the national level.
2.6 There is no doubt that DIETs have to take major responsibility for organising in-service courses for elementary school teachers in the districts. However, the capacity of DIETs to cover all the teachers is limited and,therefore, DIET guidelines do provide for district level training plans so that, in conjunction with other locally available institutions/resources, this task could be completed.
2.7 Distance education mode for in-service education is quite desirable but right now, adequate facilities are not available. CIET and IGNOU may be requested to develop sufficient teacher training programmes in distance education mode to meet the future requirements.
Summary: - In their salient aspects, recommendations reflect the views of statements in NPE/POA.
- Steps for designing/modifying training programmes may be taken up by SCERTs with NCERT/NCTE providing guidelines.
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Recommendation No.282 2.8 The Committee has recommended that the first degree in teacher education should not be given through correspondence education. In the correspondence mode of pre-service teacher training, the trainees do not get adequate exposure to school conditions and practice teaching component is most inadequate. The teachers come out only with theoretical knowledge which is not helpful towards preparing a balanced professional teacher.
2.9 This has been the view of the NCTE and this Ministry as well. The correspondence courses in preservice teacher education should be stopped forthwith. UGC has taken note of the NCTE recommendations and issued necessary instructions to the universities to stop these courses.
Summary: NCTE/UGC have already taken steps in direction, but this does not constitute any change in Policy.
Recommendation No.283 2.10 The recommendation is related to the details of content and process of teacher education which could be a possible guideline by NCTE, etc. but does not merit any change in Policy.
2.11 The Committee has identified certain elements which should be incorporated in the teacher training programmes. Besides inculcating in the teachers the personal attributes like empathy, perception of the needs of the children from educationally backward sections, under- standing of status of women, attitude for innovative and
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creative work, etc., the now concepts and methods like child-centred approach, multi-grade teaching continuous and comprehensive evaluation, development of content on the basis of minimum levels of learning, linking up with ECCE and adoption of playway and activity- based teaching, etc., have to be included in the teacher training programmes.
2.12 These are general principles which are in keeping with the aims and objectives of NPE and attaining the goal of universalisation of elementary education. Several of these components have already been included in the TE programmes. However, these can be specifically looked into by NCTE/NCERT whenever the modification of the curriculum is reviewed/renewed.
Summary: - Policy should not deal with details of courses, but the general principles recommended here are in keeping with NPE.
- NCTE/NCERT/SCERTs to take necessary steps to keep these in consideration while revising teacher education courses.
Recommendations No.284-285 2.13 The NPE also recognises that teacher education is a continuous process and its pre-service and in-service components are inseparable.
2.14 The Committee has recommended that 'internship model' of teacher training may be used extensively for preparing 'para- teachers'. For other teachers also, model may be tried. Under this system, a sandwich
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pattern of training is suggested. Starting with a brief period of theoretical orientation and followed by long periods of supervised teaching in the schools, the training is interspersed with short institution-based sessions of discussions and clarifications. The trainee is certified as a trained teacher only after 3-5 years on the basis of continuous evaluation by the supervisors.
2.15 NPERC feels that training is an ongoing continuous process spread over time and has suggested a specific model of internship training. The recommendations of NPERC are interesting but there are no welldocumented experiences available on the subject and these may have to be tried out and discussed in order to understand the advantages and disadvantages of the suggested model. The mode of selection oil the parateachers, the teacher trainers under whose internship the trainees will learn, the period of training the method of evaluation, etc. are all matters which have to be tried out and discussed before these can be accepted for training of para-teachers and teachers. NCTE may examine this recommendation for further action. But it does not merit any change in the Policy.
Summary: -NPE also felt that teacher education is a continuous process and pre-service and inservice components are inseparable.
-The model needs examination by NCTE and try-out before it can be accepted; it does not warrant any change in Policy.
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Recommendations No. 286-287 2.16 These recommendations relate to the details of syllabus for B.Ed. courses and the type of courses to be opened.
2.17 It will be better that the details of courses for high school teachers are finalized by appropriate bodies keeping in mind the general principles given in the Policy. The recommendations hardly need any change in the Policy.
Summary: - Recommendations do not involve any change in Policy. - NCTE can take necessary action in consultation with States/UTs, etc.