Govt lends hand with TET training

In a surprise move favouring the beleaguered teachers who had failed toclear Teacher Eligibility Test (TET), the State government has decided to offer training to 1,500 teachers who failed to complete TET to equip them to clearthe test that is going to beheld in June.

The School Education Department move assumes significance, as it served notice to these teachers after the Madras High Court’s recent recommendation to dismiss them from the service for their failure to complete TET within the stipulated time. The State authorities also withheld the salaries due for March of these 1,500 teachers citing thatthey have not completed TET even after being given eight years’ time.The stipulated time ends for teachers on March 31, 2019. The affected teachers were recruited in 2011 on the condition that they had to clear TET within five years from the appointment date.

In accordance with the provisions of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009 (RTE Act), the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) had made TETa mandatory requisite to be eligible for appointment as a teacher for Classes 1 to 8.

The Tamil Nadu Teacher’s Recruitment Board (TNTRB), the nodal agency for appointing teachers in the State, has conducted TET three time since 2011. However, after considering the request from the teachers,the government has decided to provide 10 days’ comprehensive training by experts for clearing the test.

A senior official from the Directorate of School Education told DT Next that the training, which would start from Monday, would be provided by the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT). “Subjects such as Child Development and Pedagogy, Tamil language, English, Mathematics, Environmental Studies, and Social Science will be covered in the training,” he added. Child Development and Pedagogy would focus on educational psychology of teaching and learning, relevant to the age group of 11-14 years.

Similarly, language would focus on the proficiencies related to the medium of instruction, while English would focus on the elements of language, communication and comprehension abilities.

In addition, Mathematics, Science and Social Science would focus on the concepts and problem-solving abilities and pedagogical understanding of these subjects.