Address the Vitamin ‘T’ Deficiency

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The apex body of regulating teacher education in the country, National Council of Teacher Education (NCTE) has completed 25 years. The Hon’ble Minister of Human Resource Development Dr Ramesh Pokharial Nishank lauded the role of teachers in a nation’s development. He also expressed confidence that India will attain the status of Vishwa Guru, underlining the potential of India to export trained teachers to other countries. How so ever lofty his vision, the challenges are immense. The silver jubilee celebrations of NCTE also marked the announcement of MHRD’s ambitious NISHTHA (National Initiative on School Teachers and Heads for Holistic Advancement) project. 

In the 1.5 million schools, nine million teachers are estimated to be employed. Of these, 20% are untrained. In the next five years, the current student enrolment at 253 million will swell by 100 million more. The increased enrollment would necessitate five hundred thousand new schools to accommodate the children to ensure access to schooling for every child. India is a teacher-deficient country, right from early childhood to the University level, a bit odd considering that we have a large pool of employable youth. The goals of imparting quality education can be driven only by a dedicated and committed team of teachers. India deserves a long pipeline of teachers voluntarily entering the profession as their first career option. The improvement in the quality of teachers correlates to the growth in the quality of education in the country. Individuals entering the teaching profession reluctantly, cannot be the agents of change.

Education underpins prosperity and is a vehicle for the fulfilment of economic and social aspirations. We cannot construct a highway to a dignified life, decent work, lifelong learning, and the creation of sizeable human capital without quality education. An educational institution cannot rise above the quality of the teachers. The realisation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Goal No4, particularly will depend on adequate funding, people’s participation, technology infusion and a political commitment. Availability of committed teachers and their preparedness is crucial to address the challenges that exist inside the classrooms emanating from cognitive, socio-economic and linguistic diversities. Teaching as a career to make a difference in the child and as a nation-builder should find traction.

The consequences of teacher shortage are many. The purpose of schooling and educational governance suffers. The class-size increases, teachers outside their domain expertise are deployed, affecting the quality of teaching-learning adversely.

Policymakers, educationists and the top leadership of educational institutions must endeavour to create a cohort of teachers and professionals. Teachers need inspiration and role-models. The principal of a school is in the best position to fit in this role. Principals must bring the essential resources, experts, research findings for the benefit of the teachers. Such efforts foster interdependence and strengthen professionalism. Incentivising the teachers by offering the platform to share their expertise and experience both within and outside the school environment will add to the existing efforts of professional development.

Teacher training institutions need to revamp their curriculum and connect theory and practice in a way that motivates the prospective teachers. Teacher training should be research-based and must respond to the needs of the new learning requirements. Countries who have earned reputation and trust for their education system and superior performance of the students at the international level have invested heavily in the teacher training. China has over a hundred universities dedicated to teacher preparation. Finland has one of the most robust teacher training programmes. The best university graduates choose to teach as their primary career goal. India can emulate these practices. Stories in Singapore, Australia, the US are not different.

We must recognise the ability of the teachers to clear the potential bottlenecks in the pipelines of India’s excellent progress. On August 15, 1947, as freedom dawned on India, Dr Radhakrishnan, India’s most eminent teacher, alerted the fellow citizens, “Our opportunities are great, but let me warn you that when power strips ability, we will fall upon evil days. We should, therefore, develop competence and ability that will help us to utilise the opportunities open to us”. Teachers, therefore, should be the best minds. The job of an educator is born out of moral beliefs and ethical practices aligned with the fabric of India and societal sanctions.

Teachers and students acquire the spring of knowledge and enlightenment together. They elevate themselves from the mundane and shine without any constrictions. The technology-dominated 21st century has pushed the teacher-student bonding to a new territory. It is a commonplace to believe that teachers are no longer the only receptacle of all knowledge. Today, there is a less-than-rosy picture to report about the teachers’ orbit in society. A recalibration of their position and teaching style, with the resources rooted in our ancient wisdom, and modern technology is the only redeeming possibility. The society must ensure quality education for all the children irrespective of their socio-economic background. Possession of wealth, connection or credentials should not determine the educational opportunities.

This article was first published in Brainfeed Magazine, Oct 2019.