Page 69 - EducationWorld September 2020

TEACHER EDUCATION remains to be seen how this proposal
will be implemented. Particularly
Maya Menon since the policy places the onus on
teachers to take initiative and man-
age their own professional develop-
n alumna of Delhi and ment.
Leicester (UK) universities,
AMaya Menon is the celebrated How optimistic are you about the pro-
founder-director of The Teacher posed National Professional Standards
Foundation (estb.2002), a highly- for Teachers (NPST) improving teacher
respected Bangalore-based teacher competence and skills?
development organisation. The idea of professional standards
for teachers is most welcome. But
Are you satisfied with NEP 2020’s as a society, we tend to misinterpret
proposals for revamping teacher educa- terms such as learning standards
tion? — equating them with uniformity
Far from being satisfied, I am scepti- rather than consistent high quality.
cal about how the proposed reforms Around seven years ago, NUEPA
will translate into norms and prac- had invited the National College of
tice in the next three, five, even ten Teaching and Leadership, UK to
years. The teacher education reforms develop a framework of standards for
proposed by the NEP 2020 reads like now TET will have to be cleared Indian school leaders. But I doubt if
a laundry list of ‘good-to-have’ items. by all teachers of government and many school leaders are aware of the
private schools. However, there is existence of these standards!
What’s your comment on the proposed no mention of improving or recast-
four-year integrated B.Ed degree pro- ing TET to make it a more reliable The effectiveness of NPST de-
gramme? Should the policy have also indicator of teacher competence. The pends on how it will be used to drive
provided for lateral entry from other current abysmally low pass rate is improvements in teaching-learning.
professions? not only because of the questionable Apart from being used for teacher
There is provision in NEP 2020 quality of teachers, but also because performance appraisals as indicated
for shorter-term teacher training it’s an imperfect test. This issue in the NEP, it would make sense for
programmes. Graduates with a hasn’t been addressed in NEP 2020. the Teacher Eligibility Test to be
three-year undergrad degree have based on NPST.
the option to complete a two-year Is there a case for reducing teachers’ What do you foresee as the major policy
B.Ed programme and graduates with non-teaching workload? This has been implementation roadblocks of NEP
a four-year undergrad degree can proposed earlier but without success… 2020?
enroll for a one-year course. I believe The NEP document says: “To prevent We are adept at conceptualising
this will enable more people, espe- the large amounts of time spent cur- excellent policies but very poor in
cially mature students, to make later- rently by teachers on non-teaching implementation. I would have liked
al entry into the teaching profession. activities, teachers will not be en- the policy to provide some broad
However, I would have liked more gaged any longer in work that is not plans for national-level consultations
flexibility through the development directly related to teaching; in par- with educationists in the states to
of high quality ‘teaching schools’ in ticular, teachers will not be involved ensure a common understanding of
every district and administrative in strenuous administrative tasks the essence and intent of NEP, and
block, which would work in close and more than a rationalized mini- setting plausible timelines. Other-
conjunction with higher education mum time for mid-day meal-related wise, the NEP, 2020 will take the
institutions (HEIs) offering B.Ed work, so they may fully concentrate route of the National Curriculum
courses. This would allow aspir- on their teaching-learning du- Framework 2005 — a great prescrip-
ing teachers to practice their craft ties.” However, I have grave doubts tion that’s still relevant 15 years on,
as trainees while studying for their whether this aspiration of NEP 2020 but so inadequately understood and
B.Ed degree in HEIs on weekends, will be realised or whether there is implemented.
or during vacations or online mode. any real intention to do so. As we
We need to devise multiple routes to speak, thousands of government Is there any important area of teacher
teacher certification without diluting school teachers are on Covid-19 du- education reform which NEP 2020 has
quality. ties. Instead, they could have been failed to address?
engaged to plan meaningful online I did a quick search of the 66-page
Should the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) and remote classes for children. policy document for the phrase
be made more stringent? The current ‘teacher educators’ but got no match-
national TET pass rate is an abysmal 10 The NEP mandates continuous profes- es! This is very worrisome because
percent… sional development (CPD) of 50 hours we have a large cadre of teacher
One positive recommendation in per year for all in-service teachers… educators whose skills need radical
NEP 2020 is mandating TET for all In principle, this is a great idea. But overhaul if any of the progressive
teachers — foundational, prepara- in a nation where we are prone to ideas delineated in NEP 2020 can
j
tory, middle and secondary. Besides, taking shortcuts and doing ugaad, it come to fruition.

SEPTEMBER 2020 EDUCATIONWORLD 69