AGENCIES OF TEACHER EDUCATION AT STATE AND NATIONAL LEVEL :BY SATWINDER SINGH AND PALWINDER SINGH,SIMRANJIT KAUR

 AGENCIES OF TEACHER EDUCATION AT STATE LEVEL 

To enhance quality of education and quality of educational institutions, to update educational methodology and to offer publicity to educational innovations by conducting various types of educational research every state establishes some institutes, council and associations. In this unit, we will discuss the role and functions of the following state agencies :
 State Institute of Education (SIE)
State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT)
 State Board of Teacher Education (SBTE)

 State Institute of Education (SIE) : Training, preparation of teaching aids and evaluation needs continuity to achieve quality education. Considering this aspect, Maharashtra state has established ―State Institute of Education‖ (SIE). Initially, SIE looked after primary education only. Later on, its scope is widened to pre-primary, secondary and higher secondary education. In 1984, it secured constitutional status like NCERT and is renamed as ―Maharashtra State Council of Education Research and Training (MSCERT)

 State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT): State council is the apex institute of the state. In Maharashtra, it was established in 1964 – 65 as a state institute of Education (SIE). It was upgrade and renamed as Maharashtra State Council of Education Research and Training in 1984. For quality improvement of school education it (MSCERT) carries the responsibility of teacher education, research and evaluation.

 Objectives : It‘s objectives are : To enhance quality of education by conducting various types of educational research.

•  To improve teacher education To enhance quality of educational institutions 
• To upgrade educational methodology To offer publicity to educational innovations.
•  Structure : Main office of MSCERT is at Pune. It is an academic wing of education. It is headed by Director of education. It‘s various departments are looked after by second class gazzeted officer. It has an advisory Board presided by Education Minister of the State. Role and Functions : The Role and functions are primarily concerned with ensuring quality in respect of : Planning Management Research Evaluation and Training 
• Its functions are as under: To improve school - education, continuing education, non-formal education and special education. To impart in service - training to the inspectors of preprimary to higher secondary education. To impart in service - training to the teachers from pre-primary to higher secondary schools. To make available extension - services to teacher - education - institutions and co-ordinate the same. To prepare teaching aids for educational institutions. 95 To motivate teachers to undertake /investigative research regarding content cum methodology. MSCERT functions through following departments - Teacher - education department. Extension services department. Research department Evaluation department curriculum development department Population Education department. Publicity Department. 

 State Board of Teacher Education (SBTE) : Kothari Commission for the first time in 1966 recommended for establishing SBTE, whose main function was to develop teacher education in the state to be administered by the state board. State boards were established in M.P in 1967, and Maharashtra, Jammu and Kashmir and Tamil Nadu in 1973. Ministry of education forced states to have SBTE suggestions NCERT such boards almost all states established.

 Functions : Determine the standards of TE Institutions.

•  Modifying and improving the curriculum, text books and the system of TE of the state.
•  Developing the criterion for the recognition of the TE institutions.
•  Organizing the guidance facility of TE institutions.
•  Developing the criteria for admission in TE and evaluating the teacher efficiency of pupil teachers. 
• .Preparing the plan for the qualitative and quantitative development of teacher education.
•  Providing guidance to the Universities and State institutes for improving and modifying  curriculum, textbooks and examination system of teacher-education.
•  Determining the educational and physical conditions of the teacher education institutions for affiliations. 
•  Developing the sense of cooperation among university departments and other training institutions Providing financial assistance – different facilities for TE at different levels. Provide suggestions for the development of state teachereducators. 
•  University Departments of Education (UDE) : Education is now considered an independent field of study; UGC provides the grants to the University Department of education. Higher level training is essential for teachers for their development. Department of Education (DOE) provide training for educational administrators and curriculum specialists to improve evaluation procedures as well examination system. University DOE organize the M.Ed, B.Ed, and M.Phil classes as well as research work for Ph.D and D.Litt degree in education. In 1917, first education department was started at Calcutta University. At present there are departments of education in all the Indian Universities for M.Ed and Ph.D Degrees.
•  Functions : Develop the post graduate studies and research work.
•  Organize training for school teachers. Provide solid programmes for teacher education and developing research work.
•  Starting and organize some programmes for post graduate teachers which are not organized at other centers. 
• Developing language laboratory, preparing instructional material and use new innovations and practices in TE.
•  Encouraging the interdisciplinary courses and interdisciplinary research studies so that the requirements of other departments can be fulfilled.
•  Organize extension lectures and programmes to encourage the teachers and research workers to contribute in the discipline of education.
•  Providing awareness of new methodology and technology to upgrade the standard of TE.
•  Developing the effective procedure of evaluation of theory and practicals in education.  A very strong academic and administrative machinery at the state level should further aim at economy and integration of divergent elements, avoid duplication of efforts, consider and examine the needs of different types of institutions, give a proper turn to arising ideologies and tendencies and eliminate corruption and exploitation. There should be a University of teacher education in every state on its own. It should be unitary as well as affiliating for all the teachers‘, colleges at graduate and post graduate levels within the state

• NATIONAL LEVEL AGENCIES OF TEACHER EDUCATION PROGRAMME :  University Grants Commission (UGC) : Established on 28th December, 1953, at New Delhi. UGC was given autonomy by govt. of India in 1956. Functions : It provides financial assistance to universities and colleges to meet their requirement. It extends the financial aid for the development of Universities and maintenance. It provides a guide-line to Center and State Govt. for giving grant to a University. It provides the grants for five years to establish as new University in the state.  It provides the grants for five years to start new department or any academic programme in the University but now state concurrence is essential. It encourages higher level research work and teaching activities by providing financial assistance. It provides the grants for higher education and new programmes in the Universities and colleges. It provides the fellowship for teachers and project work for University and college teachers.

.Research : UGC is giving substantial grants to University teachers for conducting their own researches. In 1953-54, Ministry of Education initiated a scheme providing grants to teachers, colleges and departments of education in the Universities in order to enable them to carry out research on educational problems selected by them and approved by the central ministry. The main purpose of the scheme is to provide facilities for research which, in many instances, has been held up owing to dearth of funds. It is to be carried on by the staff of the training colleges assisted by some research fellows assigned to them and some financial facilities. Equipment is provided to facilitate the completion of the projects. 99 Centre for Advanced Studies (CASE) : For the improvement of standards of teaching and research in India.UGC has set up CASE in different branches of knowledge. It selected the faculty of Education and Psychology, Baroda as the CASE in Education which functions on an all India basis and aims at raising standards of teaching and research in education. It has built up its programme in collaboration with research workers from outside.

 National Institute of Educational Planning and Administration: (NUEPA/ NIEPA) :

•  Functions : As the highest organization of educational planning and Administration- has the following functions to perform:
•  Providing training of educational planning and administration to develop the abilities and competencies in the educational administration as the in-service program. 
• Providing training facilities in educational planning and administration at state level and regional level to develop efficiency at their level.
•  Integrating educational studies and researches under the area of educational planning and administration and make co ordinations in these activities.
•  Encouraging the teachers to solve the problems of educational planning and administration by organizing seminars and workshops.
•  Arranging extension programs for new developments and innovations in the area of planning and administration. Establishing contact with other countries to understand the developments and innovations of the developed countries. 

Providing guidance at National and State levels in the area of planning and administration.


National Council of Teacher Education (NCTE) : Kothari commission Report (1964-66) criticized Teacher Education Programme being conventional, rigid and away from reality. Therefore it expressed the need of establishing National council of Teacher Education in order to improve the standard of Teacher Education. In September 1972, Central Advisory Board in Education accepted the said proposal which was supported by fifth National plan. Thereafter by law, Indian Education Ministry established NCTE on 21st May 1973.

• NCTE has got independent constitutional status since 1993. Objectives : To work especially towards planned and coordinated development of teacher-education. To improve the standard and functioning of teacher-educators.
•  Functions : According to the Act 1993, NCTE performs the following functions : 
• Undertake survey and studies relating to various aspects of teacher-education and publish the results.
•  Making recommendations to the center and State government Universities, the U.G.C and other institutions in the preparation of plans and programmme‘s in the field of teacher education.
•  Coordinating and monitoring teacher education and its development in the country. Preparing a guideline with regard to minimum qualifications for the candidates to be employed as teacher- educators at different levels.
•  Developing norms for any specified category of courses or training in teacher-education, including minimum eligibility criterion for admission.
•  Preparing a guideline and specified requirements for starting new courses and programmes under teacher education.
•  Developing a guideline for general teacher-education programme. To advise central government on matters like teacher - education (in building pre-service / in-service training), evaluation of the curricula for teacher -- education and periodical review with respect to revision of curricula.
•  To advise state governments on any matter of their concern. 
• To review the progress of plan of teacher- education, submitted by central / state governments. 
• To advise the government on ensuring adequate standards in teacher - education. 
• To give approval to teacher - education institutions. 
• To lay down norms for maintaining standards of teachers - education
• . Promoting innovations and research studies and organize them periodically or annually.
•  Supervising the teacher education programmes and providing financial assistance.
•  Enforcing accountability of teacher development programmes in the country.
•  Preparing a programme for in-service teacher education for orienting teachers for latest development.
• Multi –dimensional activities- under extension programs– journal on educational planning and administration and other books are published.
•  Review of educational planning and administration of other countries- used to develop our educational system and solve educational problems.
•  Orientation programs for educational administrators- provide awareness of new developments in this area. Educational research reports are published.
•  The publication unit established the coordination between theory and practice.
•  Seminars and workshops are organized and their discussions and results are published. 
• Training Institutions for special fields for school and colleges these provide elementary in special fields like- computers, educational technology and fine arts.