Society formed to mobilise funds for teachers' training

The State government has formed the Tamil Nadu Teachers Professional Development Society to develop training programmes under the directions of the Union Ministry of Human Resources Development (MHRD). 

The primary role of the society, which will be headed by the School Education Department Secretary, will be to mobilise funds for professional development of teachers. It will also function as the apex body to conduct and supervise the activities of the District Institutes of Education and Training (DIET).

The MHRD and the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) have advised the States to set up a state-level society for State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) and district-level societies for DIETs to promote professional development of educators through capacity building and in-service teacher training programmes.

The State government also directed that the society formed by DIET be named after the respective district. Accordingly, Chennai will form Chennai District Teachers Professional Development Society.

The executive committee-level society will comprise members including district collector as patron, chief educational officer as president and DIET principal as secretary. 

The role and functions of these societies include exploring avenues to channelise funds for in-service training of teachers and to mobilise resources through corporate social responsibility and public-private partnership initiatives. In addition, the society will generate funds by organising in-service training programmes for private school teachers. 

The members of the society will plan, implement and support in-service teacher training programmes. The secretary will administer the society and operate the funds through a bank account in nationalised bank.