With 30,000 teachers without a BEd degree,
West Bengal carves a sorry picture. Thus, seven state universities have been asked to start BEd courses in distance learning with Netaji Subhas Open University (NSOU) as the nodal university.
Seven universities have been asked to start B.Ed courses in distance learning while Netaji Subhas Open University (NSOU) has been proposed to be made the nodal university.
NSOU is the only state open university and hence the government has decided to entrust it with the duty to supervise the BEd in distance learning courses to be offered by other universities. "All in service teachers do not have a BEd degree. In the existing strength around 30,000 teachers are non trained.
So, the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) has made amendment in the existing act and made it mandatory for all schoolteachers to hold a BEd degree. The government needs to impart the training within March 31, 2015. As a result, it is looking for ways to train the teachers and hence the arrangement has been made," said a source who was present in the meeting with education minister Bratya Basu on Monday.
The government has pegged the number of untrained teachers at around 60,000, including a projected figure of 30,000 teachers who will be recruited in the next two years. "Apart from the existing 30,000 teachers, the state government has projected another 30,000 teachers who will be recruited in the next two years till 2014 and may not hold the requisite degree. Thus, combining the existing and future teachers, around 60,000 will have to be trained and awarded a B.Ed degree," said a
higher education department official.
To deal with the matter, the government has formed a core committee which will convene a meeting soon. Subhashankar Sarkar, vice-chancellor of NSOU, will be the chairman of the committee. The committee comprises the head of the department of education of 11 different universities, one faculty member from each university, one representative from IGNOU, one from NSOU, one faculty member from each government teacher's training college as well principals and retired teachers. The chairman of the committee is Subhashankar Sarkar, VC of NSOU. A report from time to time will have to be handed over to the government by the committee.
"We will have to procure an NCTE permission, get approval for distance education and chalk out the modalities of implementing the decision," said a source. The entire cost of training 60,000 teachers will be around Rs 24 crore and will be borne by the state government.
Meanwhile, the West Bengal Higher Secondary Council has decided on the dates for holding practical examinations. "Till last year, we specified a date range during which the practicals had to be held. However, this year onwards we have mentioned the exact dates for the exam," said Moloy Roy, joint secretary of the council. He added,
"We have also extended the final date of submitting registration forms to November 30," said Moloy Roy, joint secretary of the council.which earlier was till third week of September."
The council took the decision since last year major trouble broke out after many schools held the practical examinations way ahead or later than the dates mentioned by the council. "The reason why we have been forced to extend the dates for registration is because more than 200 schools have failed to submit registration forms for their students. We are bound to consider their case as it involves the future of students," Roy added.
