As a new initiative, the School of Education (SOE) of Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) has launched a brand new two-year course of diploma in Elementary Education (DElEd). The said course will be offered in ODL mode and is specifically meant for the improvement of in-service teachers. The course will help them to understand the intricacies of elementary education better and increase their overall efficiency.
The step is expected to improve the current situation that prevails among teachers of the elementary levels which preferably needs improvements in most cases. IGNOU is of the opinion that the visionary step will indeed be beneficial for both the teachers as well as the education system itself as it will surely work towards overall development in all sectors.
The announcement was made on IGNOU’s behalf during a MoU signing function between the university and the Arunachal Pradesh government. The event was hosted at IGNOU’s headquarters located in New Delhi and was attended by delegates representing both the enterprising parties.
M Aslam, the Vice-chancellor of IGNOU said, “We have signed the MoU with the Arunachal Pradesh state government because we are confident about the government’s diligence and competence regarding the development of education. We have stressed on the matter since hilly areas like Arunachal need the implementation of ICTs on a larger scale and with effectiveness. A regular ICT interaction routine will be carried out from IGNOU’s headquarters at New Delhi to the regional IGNOU centre in Arunachal Pradesh which will help in effective monitoring.”
Interestingly, Arunachal government has arranged for such a measure in order to meet the deadline which has been set by the Right to Education (RTE) Act. It has been clearly syated that all untrained in-service governmental teachers must be trained professionally within March 2015. The qualification can be attained through the two-year DElEd programmed as per the norms of National Council for Teachers Education (NCTE). Failure to do such may lead to the eventual disqualification of teachers from their jobs.
The RTE Act has been strict on grounds of professional training owing to the intent of preserving the quality of education provided at elementary levels throughout the nation. The setting up of a decisive deadline will compel the untrained teachers to fall in line and take up professional training in due course of time.
The Arunachal government itself confesses that the percentage of untrained teachers in the state is amongst the highest in the entire nation. RTE has made it compulsory for teachers to attain the necessary qualifications and hence the state government is running against time to ensure the security of their teachers. Failing to preserve their teachers may hit the education system of the sate hard, feel the state government authorities.
As many as 9000 in-service teachers of Arunachal need training and the said feat will be achieved by IGNOU. New centres called Block Resource Centres (BRCs) will be set up meant only for the DElEd programme which in turn will be approved by the NCTE. These centres will act for the orchestrated coordination of the entire scheme of things pertaining to the programme.
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Ignou
Diploma
Teachers
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