Our Correspondent
Kohima, July 6 (EMN): In a quite distressing report, the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) on July 5 2018 informed that out of 11488 teachers, 48% (5514) were found to be ‘professionally untrained’.
This was revealed through 12 research documents which were the outcomes of a series of researches it undertook during 2017-18 covering various issues and problems faced by government schools in the Nagaland.
The findings on school-based statistical survey, for which, data was collected from 1221 schools including primary, upper primary, secondary and higher secondary schools in the state.
Revealing evealed that out of 11488 teachers, 48% (5514) were found to be ‘professionally untrained’. The SCERT sounded alarm in this regard and suggested that the recently launched DIKSHA programme be implemented properly so that the state can maintain the exact figure in regard to number of teachers, trained and untrained teachers.
While revealing more about the poor condition of schools in the district, the survey found out that 86% of the government schools do not have facility for Children with Special Needs (CWSN); 97% of government schools do not have hostel facility; 43% do not receive text books on time; 89% have no library facilities; no safety precautions for the children in 65% of the schools; 66% do not have playground; 54% have no electricity connections; 61% of the schools do not have ‘Computer in the school’; 77% have no boundary walls; many schools in Dimapur, Mon, and Wokha did not get free school uniforms; 42% schools have no safe drinking water facility; 35% schools have no separate toilet for boys and girls.
Based on the findings, the SCERT pointed out the dire need for more frequent school inspection by SDEO, DSE in the districts like Dimapur, Mokokchung, Peren, Phek, Wokha and Zunheboto. The SCERT also stressed on the need for transparency in providing school funds as many schools in all the districts have not received School Development Grant; 47% of the schools have no female representative in the Parent Teacher Association (PTA); there was also 3% decline in the school enrolment from 2016 to 2017.
However, among the very few positive findings, the SCERT stated that 96% schools in the state have responded that Mid-Day Meal program was being implemented.
Teacher educators’ competency
With regard to a study on teaching competency of teacher educators in the state, the SCERT team examined and compared the teaching competency and its various components among the teacher educators in relation to their year(s) of teaching experience. The teaching competency of government teacher educators were found to be higher than private teacher educators. The study revealed that most of the government teacher educators were more qualified and the provision given by the government institutes for refresher course, orientation programme and short term training courses for government teacher educators make them more aware about their professional preparedness. But still, the results the government schools yield remain below private institutions.
The SCERT suggests that teacher educators need to develop their professional skill by attending more orientation programme, refresher courses and also organise more interactive programmes, workshops specialized in subject area.
SCERT Director T Sekhose, during the launching of the reports, said when it comes to education, be it elementary, secondary or higher studies in the state, there was no lack of infrastructure and every provision was given where every student, irrespective of gender or community have access to education.
However, the question whether the education imparted to the children is of qualitative standard or not remains an issue, said the director. He said the SCERT, having been given the mandate to be an apex academic body, felt the need to have a steady feel on the pulse of the state’s education system to check the deficiencies.
Principal secretary for School Education and SCERT, Menukhol John, who officially released the research documents, lauded the SCERT team for bringing out the fact-finding report. He expressed deep hope that the factors influencing the performance of students and the overall quality of education in the government schools that were found out in the studies would help in improving the system for the future, the official stated.
