The revival of teacher education system in the state appears to be a daunting task. The District Institutes of Education and Training (DIETs) have been facing issues staff and fund paucity and poor coordination. The DIET principals have a demanded a separate body dedicated to the cause of teacher training and adherence of all central government norms. Currently there are only 26 posts per DIET in state. The central government norms state that each DIET should have 48 posts. We had sent a proposal last year but no decision on it has been taken yet, said N K Jarag,director, State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT). Of the 363 sanctioned teaching posts,161 are vacant. Of the 491 positions in non-teaching staff,only 365 have been filled. Every DIET in state faces staff shortage. In place of 11 teaching staff,my place has only five posts filled. Currently there is a batch of D.Ed students in every DIET. We dont have enough time to teach and also carry out teaching. There are many other administrative functions too. How can five people do all these things, said DIET principal from Marathwada region. Lack of vehicles is the next problem,said officials. We are equivalent to deputy director of education. The schools sometimes are more than a 100 km away. When we submit a report,it is not taken seriously, said a DIET principal from Khandesh region. None of the funds reach us directly. They first reach the primary education department or the Zilla Parishad. By that time,already half a year is over. There should be a separate body for teacher training, said the principal. Another DIET principal from Konkan region said there is no coordination between college for teacher eduation,block and cluster resource centres and DIETs. There is no integrated approach to teaching. Unless we work together,the upgradation will remain on paper, the principal said. In the last 10 years,hardly any research has taken place. The staff are highly qualified but they dont have time for research. We want is a body that looks only at teacher training, he said.
