Teacher training has long way to go,says study

Tamil Nadu,Uttar Pradesh,Jamp;K and Gujarat have been found to have done well in terms of the impact of in-service teacher training on the actual classroom practices and students learning and achievement

Tamil Nadu,Uttar Pradesh,Jamp;K and Gujarat have been found to have done well in terms of the impact of in-service teacher training on the actual classroom practices and students learning and achievement. On the other hand,Haryana,Chhattisgarh,Rajasthan and Nagaland were found to be at the lower end in a study by the National Council of Educational Research and Training NCERT.

The study is an assessment of the efficacy of the In-service Education for Teachers INSET programme undertaken every year for primary and upper primary teachers under Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan SSA to improve the quality of elementary education in the country. The study was conducted across 15 states,focusing on the training provided during 2010-11.

The states were ranked on the basis of NCERTs National Achievement Survey for Class V conducted during 2011.

In the case of the other states covered under the study,less than half of the teachers perceived in-service training as relevant. Also,follow-on training was found to be weak in most states.

Analysis of the training package indicated limited content and material on reflection and knowledge construction as envisaged in the National Curriculum Framework NCF-2005. This is reflected by the fact that overall 55 per cent teachers found the training not relevant.

In Haryana,79 per cent of the teachers considered training not relevant. However,training was found relevant by 86 per cent teachers in Tamil Nadu,73 per cent in Jamp;K and 63 per cent in Andhra Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.

The NCERT study also found out that women were under-represented among training coordinators and resource persons.

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It is disturbing to note that large numbers of teachers did not have pre-service education especially in Bihar,Meghalaya and Nagaland, the study said. It said the use of technology films,videos,computer,etc was conspicuous by absence in almost all states. Physical facilities and teaching aids in most of the training centre were also inadequate.

The study,which was coordinated by the Department of Teacher Education,also highlights that the impact of the training is partial and so is the student achievement in most of the states.

The report recommends that serious steps should be taken to review and redesign in-service training of teachers keeping in view recommendations of the Justice Verma Committee report for improving learning of elementary schoolchildren.

States covered

Andhra Pradesh Bihar

Chhattisgarh Orissa

Gujarat Haryana

Jamp;K Meghalaya

Nagaland Madhya Pradesh Rajasthan

Tamil Nadu

Maharashtra Uttar Pradesh West Bengal