Primary school teachers complete Quality Education training

SUBASH RAI
GANGTOK, 22 Feb: 298 primary school teachers from various government schools of Sikkim have completed the final phase of ‘Proficiency Development Training Programme’. Now, to see how well they deliver quality education in their classrooms.
These teachers- 120 from East district, 72 from West, 31 from North and 75 from South district recently completed their 3rd and the final phase of training here at Paljor Namgyal Girls’ Senior Secondary School recently.

The proficiency development training was conducted by State Institute of Education [SIE] under Human Resource Development Department and was sponsored by Sarva Siksha Abhiyan.
Confirming the “successful completion” of the training, Sabita Subba, Deputy Director, SIE said, “The training was conducted in three phases which included two winters and a summer vacation.”
The 42-day 1st phase training was conducted from 04 January to 13 February 2010 and followed by a 13-day 2nd phase during Summer Vacation i.e. from 28 June to 10 July 2010.
She informed that during first phase, the teachers were trained on “Spoken English and teaching techniques of Mathematics”. The summer camp trained them on “Environmental Studies and Art Education”.
“The 1st and 2nd Phase trainings were held on their respective districts but the final and the concluding phase was conducted in Gangtok from 04 January to 03 February 2011,” Ms. Subba said.
The final phase training covered subjects like “Methodology of teaching English and Nepali, Computer Education, Continuous Comprehensive Education and Physical Education”.
“Though in the first phase there were more than 300 candidates, only 298 could make it to the finals,” she said.
On the dropouts, she informed that among the dropout candidates, most of them were selected as the graduate teachers during the selection examination held last year. And few couldn’t make out because of the ill-health.
Regarding resource persons, Ms. Subba said, “As resource person, we had selected Post Graduates teachers with MEd/ BEd degrees from the various government schools and SIE officials trained them on the modules prepared for the training programme.”
On the modules of the trainings, she informed that the teachers were prepared on how to handle the primary level students of this age and were also trained on the use of computers.
Regarding success of the training, the Deputy Director said, “This kind of training was never conducted in the past and we are hopeful that the teachers gained all the knowledge expected by them from this programme.”
On future expectation from these trained teachers, she said, “The Department must do follow up and assess the implementation and the outcome coming out of it.”
On the selection of the candidates Ms. Subba informed that the selection was done by the Director [Education] through respective Joint Directors of the Districts. About the candidates she said it was compulsory for all the primary school teachers below the age of 50.
About training perks/ incentive to the trainee teachers, she informed that the Department looked after the meals, lodging and stationeries required in the training besides paying Rs. 50 per day as DA to the candidates.
After the completion of the training, the Department handover certificate to the candidates.
Ms. Subba further informed that the leftover primary teachers will be trained by the 2013 academic session.