HRDD targets training all teachers by 2015

GANGTOK, 20 Jan: The state government is taking up the matter of education, particularly the provisions under the Right to Free and Compulsory Education Act, rather seriously and in a committed fashion. In this regard, the Human Resource Development Department has announced that it has set itself the target to achieve 100% fully trained teachers in government schools meeting the minimum required qualification as required under the Act by the year 2015. The department has recently announced a set of rules for strict compliance by teachers.
In an important decision, all untrained teachers who will attain the age of 58 on 31 December, 2015 will be offered voluntary retirement. As per the HRD Department directive, teachers of all categories attaining the age of 58 by the end of 2015 and who have failed to acquire the 2-year diploma in elementary education/ B.Ed/ M.Ed will be allowed to proceed on voluntary retirement with benefits of two advance increments. Additionally, any teacher appointed before 03 September, 2001 in accordance with the prevalent recruitment rules will not be required to undertake the additional required training on elementary education.
Meanwhile, all professionally untrained primary teachers of government schools with Class XII qualification are to enroll themselves in the DIET or at IGNOU for a 2-year diploma in Elementary Education by the year 2013. All professionally untrained Graduate and Post Graduate Teachers of Government schools are required to either enroll themselves at Soreong Government B.Ed College/ Loyola College, Namchi/ Harkamaya B.Ed College, or IGNOU for B.Ed Degree programme by the year 2013, positively.
It has also been informed that teachers appointed on or after 03 September, 2001 need not acquire the above mentioned minimum qualification provided that a teacher of Class I to V possessing either B.Ed or M.Ed shall undertake an NCTE recognized 6-month special programme on elementary education. Similarly a teacher of Class I to V with B.Ed and who has completed a 6-month Special Basic Course approved by NCTC will not be required to undertake the additional training.
The HRD Department has also come out with its definition of ‘Trained Teacher’. Primary trained teachers are defined as those who have successfully completed a crash course conducted by the department during 1979-81 or those who have completed TTC by DIET/TTI till 2002 or those who have successfully completed 2 years TTC by DIET or NCTE recognized institute after 2003.
Graduate Teacher, as per the department, are those who have completed one year B.Ed or B.Ed integrated 4 years or 2 years course from any NCTE recognized institution and conducted by a university approved by the UGC.