Dimapur, November 11 (MExN): Tamil Nadu has successfully launched a statewide activity-based educational system which fully adheres to the principles and practice of learner-centered education. It has gained national acclaim and even received the Prime Minister’s Award in 2009. A seminar on quality education and their issues and challenges in Nagaland has recommended that Nagaland proposes to adapt this system on a pilot-project basis. The seminar was held as part of commemorating National Education Day.
“There is good reason to expect that this project has the potential of ushering in wide and permanent changes towards quality education in Nagaland. The project is recommended,” said a copy of the seminar’s recommendation received here. Source said that the recommendations will be submitted to the state government. The seminar paper was presented by Kevi Liegise, State Project Director (Training) of the SSA.
Admitting that private schools in the state cater to more than 50 per cent of students in Nagaland, the seminar suggested the government extend generous financial assistance to them. It was recommended that grant-in-aid be enhanced considerably and that a sizeable portion of it extended for teacher’s welfare. Also stating that the search for quality education is futile without quality teachers, the seminar felt “this critical issue must be addressed and appropriate measures implemented”.
Over the ‘relaxed’ teachers’ recruitment policy
Interestingly, in the background of the recent relaxation of the recruitment policy, it made some recommendations. Firstly, there should be no relaxation for the general category. Secondly, even for the reserved category, relaxation should apply only in the event that the number of candidates does not reach the number of posts under reserved quota. This ensures that the reserved quota remains intact. Thirdly, graduate teachers should be recruited through NPSC. Alternately, there should be a selection board comprised of members from School Education, SCERT, NBSE and government representatives. In either case, selection should be based on both written examination (50 percent) and oral interview (50 per cent) which should include teaching demonstration.
Adequate and developed infrastructure
The seminar also felt that training institutes must possess adequate facilities and an atmosphere conducive to learning. It recommended that good hostels be provided to the training centers and high schools on priority basis. Training centers should have the environment to make teaching and learning a pleasant experience while schools also need adequate hostels.
The seminar recommended that training programmes for teachers should continue vigorously without, however, amounting to paralyzing schools with less teachers. Training of upper primary and secondary teachers which has been comparatively neglected for the last few years, should be revitalized, the seminar said. Selection of teachers for training should be done well on time with clear directives to ensure their participation from the first day of training, the seminar said.
Children with special needs
Referring to children with special needs (CWSN), the seminar recommended wider and deeper attention so suitable assistance can be extended to different categories of CWSN. The recommendations said an integrated institute for the severely handicapped should be set up in the state. For the mildly disabled students which can be part of normal schools, teachers should be given appropriate training to help them.
On absenteeism and dropouts, the seminar viewed “these problems remains as ugly spots in the education picture that refuses to go away”. They represent serious maladies that need timely and effective solution and corrective measures should include making the teaching and learning situation interesting. The seminar also recommended improved infrastructure including separate toilets for boys and girls, efficient mid-day meal system, and general awareness programmes.
On ‘proxy-teachers’
On proxy teachers, the recommendations said “this is a situation where some duly appointed teachers arrange to send other unauthorized persons to schools in their place; over and above being violative (sic) of rules and morally untenable, it defeats the aim of the right person getting the right training and seriously undermines the search for quality education.”
The seminar recommended that proven defaulters should be terminated from service, while VECs should be held accountable. District and field officers should undertake regular unannounced visits, the seminar recommended.
On ‘weak teachers’
On extremely weak teachers, it said “this refers to the category of teachers appointed fifteen or twenty or more, years ago, who are unqualified and particularly weak in English which is the medium of instruction. Needless to say, this is proving to be a great hurdle in the way of educational progress and calls for urgent and decisive solution.”
The seminar recommended these teachers with 20 and above years of service, should be given voluntary retirement with full pension benefits.
Those with more than 15 years service should also be included as a ‘very special one time case’. The option of utilizing their services in life skills should be considered only in those special cases with proven talent and sincerity with requisite certificates. Recommending that voluntary retirement with full pension should be extended to all teachers with 20 years of services and above, it said. “This will serve as a way of releasing those teachers who have lost the passion of their profession” the seminar said.
On uneven teacher-distribution
On rationalizing the distribution of teachers, the recommendations observed that “while many schools are considerably overstaffed, many others are pitifully understaffed, even to the extent of single teacher schools. Needless to say, this huge imbalance seriously undermines all efforts for quality education.” On this matter, the seminar made two recommendations. “Firstly, it is felt that the full benefits of redeployment can be realized only if the posts earlier taken away along with transfers are reverted back to the schools with less post (Most single teachers are due to post taken away)”.
Also, the recommendations said, many teachers who have been attached to other offices and responsibilities should be brought back to the classroom. Accordingly, reversion and detachment of teachers are strongly recommended. Secondly, it is felt that the fixing six teachers for a primary school should be reconsidered. This is because all primary schools do not have equal number of classes. Some schools are only upto class 2, some up to Classc4 and stills others upto class 4 with additional sections and so on. In view of these differences, the seminar recommended that a primary school upto class 4 without sections should have eight teachers (inclusive of the head teacher) with one teacher each in English, Hindi and Science (or Maths). The number of teachers many be less or more, depending on the number of classes and sections. Selection should be permissible only when a class crosses 40 students, the seminar suggested.
