panel set up to devise strategies to raise professional status of teachers

Updated on: Monday, August 13, 2012

Faced with the challenge of attracting the best minds into the teaching profession, a panel set up recently has been asked to devise strategies to raise professional status of teachers and adequately support them with better working conditions and performance incentives.

The Central Advisory Board of Education Committee on National Mission on Teachers and Teaching, which will be headed by Minister of State for HRD D Purandeswari, will also look into ways to enhance availability of teachers to address acute shortage in the sector.

Comprising seven state education ministers, four education secretaries as members along with a host of academicians from different universities and institutes, the committee has been asked to submit its report within six months.

Recent study shows there are 5.23 lakh vacancies of school teachers at elementary level even as there would be an additional requirement of around 5.1 lakh teachers to fulfil the provisions of pupil teacher ratio specified under RTE Act.

Under Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan, 1.79 lakh additional teachers need to be appointed in secondary schools. Focus on English, Mathematics and Science teachers in secondary schools would also necessary.

Officials said, as a step in this direction, UGC has proposed a centre of excellence in science and mathematics in centres such as Indian Institute of Science and Tata Institute of Fundamental Research to develop specialised cadre of academy of teachers.

UGC has also proposed regional centres of education management in prestigious IIMs to strengthen and improve teachers' education and develop specialised cadre of academy of teaching and teacher educators.

It has suggested setting the centres in IIMs at Ahmedabad, Kolkata and Bangalore and National University of Educational Planning and Administration.

The government proposed to set up a National Mission on Teachers and Teaching to address issues relating to teachers including teacher education and quality of teaching worried over the teaching quality.

One of the goals of the national mission on teacher and training would be formulating strategies to enhance effectiveness of classroom transactions through technology intervention.

The committee on the mission would also formulate guidelines for recruitment facilities for differently abled teachers in schools, colleges and other educational institutions to make education inclusive at all levels.

It would also formulate strategies to attract and retain teachers from SCs, STs, OBCs and minority communities.

panel set up to devise strategies to raise professional status of teachers

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