TEACHER EDUCATION IN
R. B. Kumar
INTRODUCTION
Expanding
growth of modern education gave rise to felt-need for having teachers equipped
with the skills of teaching profession so that output indicators of students’
performances are appreciably good. As a consequence, first ever Teachers’
Training Institute was established at Temi, South District of Sikkim in 1955
based on Gandhian philosophy of “Basic Education”. The lone T. T. I. was then shifted to the campus
of Government Senior Secondary School Felling, West Sikkim, 7 kilometres away
from Gyalsing, the District headquarters of
Teacher Education FOR ELEMENTRY SCHOOLS
The
State of Sikkim has been sanctioned three DIETs one each for East, West and
South districts. However DIET East is located at Gangtok alone is functional
and it serves, therefore, the entire State. The lone T.T.I, established in 1955
was upgraded in 1998 and runs apart from
other activities, a 2 year pre-service diploma course with an intake capacity
of 50.Besides pre-service training, other programmes conducted by DIET Gangtok
are: 1. Short-term in-service programmes for pre-primary and primary teachers;
2.Short term training programmes to prepare resource persons for taking up 20
days in-service programmes at CRC and BRC level; 3. Academic inspection of
schools; 4.Preparation of training package and textual materials required for
pre-primary and primary school stage.
The 2-year pre-service programme has been structured into four semesters. First
two semesters are devoted to on theory part and include important components
related to teacher and education in emerging Indian society, educational
psychology, school organisation, educational
technology, Some contemporary
issues like inclusive education, disaster management education and curricular
areas with methodologies are also covered. At the end of second semester,
student teachers are deputed to different schools under School Experience
Programmes for 15 days. Their performance is evaluated by the lecturers of DIET
Gangtok as they visit each school where pupil- teachers are deputed. In the
subsequent semesters student teachers are given exposure to different teaching
skillsalong with other theoretical components. Examination is conducted by the
Institute itself. Mode of evaluation includes assignment, home work, class
tests and project work etc apart from term examination. In cse of qualification of Faculty of DIET Gangtok ,all
the teaching members expect two are M Ed. (either B.A. & M. Ed. or M. A. /
M. Sc. & M. Ed. ) Some of the lecturers are pursuing Masters degree courses
in their respective disciplines. Principal DIET Gangtok holds the degree of
M.A. M. B.Ed. & M. Phil. Lecturers of DIET Gangtok are on regular
establishment in the scale of Rs 7,000 - Rs 11,500 plus other allowances
admissible under Government of Sikkim norms. Notification has been brought to
operationalise DIET West at Soreng, one of the sub-divisional headquarters, at
the earliest. Similarly, all efforts are being to operationalise DIET, South.
DIET Gangtok has hostel facility for girls and boys.
Mount
Carmel Teacher’s Training Institute, Pakuong has been set up by Apostilic
Carmel Sisters’ Organisation, Kolkata at
Pakyong, a sub-divisional Headquarters of East District (
TEACHER
TRAINING FOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS.
There
are two teacher training institutions for training of teachers for secondary
schools: Loyola College of Education, Namchi and Harka Maya College of
Education, Tadong. The B. Ed. course offered by the colleges is affiliated to
Loyola
College of Education, Namchi is a college established and managed by the
Darjeeling Jesuits of North Bengal (DJNB) and is self-financed. Established in
1993, with a land area of 4.6 hectares
made available by the State Government on lease basis for 99 years with an
initial endowment of Rs. 30 lakhs. As per the MOU between the college and the
State Government, annual rent of Rs 10 a year is being paid by the college. At
present, the college’s one-year B. Ed. course
has an intake capacity of 100.
Actual teaching days of the college is more than 180 days. Method papers are in
the subjects- English, History, Economics, Geography, Life Sciences, Physics,
Chemistry and Nepali. There are ten faculty members including the Principal out
of which eight members possess M. A. /
M. Sc. & M. Ed. degree and are on regular establishment in the scale of Rs,
8,000-13000. Remaining two faculty possess M. Sc. B. Ed. and M. Sc. B. Ed. are
on part time basis. Harka Maya College of Education, Tadong has been established under the Society Act of
Rhenock Education Society, Gangtok in the year 2003-04 with an intake capacity
of 100 candidates for B. Ed. course. Annual fee to be paid by a pupil teacher
for B. Ed. course is about RS 40,000 Admission to the B. Ed. course is based on
the merit list prepared by the college by taking into account the Admission
Test conducted by the college and curriculum vitae of the candidate
Practice
teaching for B. Ed. course is conducted
for 15 days duration wherein a teacher trainee is required to deliver at least
15 lessons in each of two methods papers selected by them. There are 5 method
papers available, which include Geography, English, Biology and mathematics.
Periodical tests are conducted by the college for B.Ed. students. It also
has One Year M. Ed. Course since
2006-07. Annual fee to be paid by student for the M. Ed. course is about Rs.
55,000.One of the features of M. Ed. Course is
Seminar where the students are given good exposure to seminar
presentation. .
Other Teacher TRAINING PROGRAMMES
Apart
from these institutions, there is a District Centre for Teaching English (DCTE)
set up at Namchi, the headquarter of South District, under the District Centre
Scheme of the Central Institute of English & Foreign languages, (CIEFL)
Hyderabad, MHRD, Government of India a Deemed University. It conducts short-term training programme
with an objective for improving English Language Teaching in the schools.
Teachers teaching English at the Secondary level are invited to undergo such
short term training course for English. Besides the Centre conducts a one year
Correspondence -cum- contact Course in the Certificate in English Language
Teaching (C. ELT) This specialised course consists of five papers of 100 marks
each on Reading-100 marks, Writing -100 marks, Grammar- 100 marks, Study
Skills-100 marks and Principles and Methods 100 marks. Successful candidates
are awarded certificates by the CIEFL, Hyderabad.
The
State Government is strongly committed to enhance the professional skills and
capacity of in-service teachers. To clear the backlog of untrained teachers the
HRD Department Government of Sikkim has launched two-year B. Ed. and six-month
C.P.E. Course with the technical and academic support from IGNOU,
CONCLUSION
All
teacher education programmes in the State need a fresh look in the light of
emerging concerns of quality education and contemporary issues. Teaching is a profession and in every
professional course, practicum is very important. In teacher preparation
Programme internship of about six months’ duration may not be a bad
proposition. Under this internship programme, every pupil-teacher may be
attached to a school for at least a period of six months and the candidate may
compulsorily be involved in all activities of the school. His performance may
be evaluated by the subject teachers, headmaster and finally through the
academic inspection of the Faculty of teacher education institute. After
successful completion of the internship, the candidate may be allowed to appear
at the annual examination.