B Ed syllabus needs overhaul

While there have been a lot of reforms in the education sector in the recent years, the curriculum for the teachers’ training process did not undergo a change for long. Foreign players are interested in tying up with training institutes here, but the stringent government policies are keeping them at bay.

The curriculum was last updated in 2008, claim teachers, which did not include major reforms. Though topics on international education and inclusive education have been included in parts, a separate paper is essential at this point, when even the Right to Education (RTE) Act emphasises on inclusive education.

According to Adelaide Vaz, the principal of Xavier’s Institute of Education, Marine Lines, the last time the syllabus for B Ed underwent revision was in 2008-09. “It was just like a rapid revision. Inclusive education was introduced as a paper in psychology, which had only about nine lectures in a year. An optional subject on inclusive education had been introduced, but the number of candidates who opt for it did not exceed 15-20 candidates every year. The syllabus will come up for revision in the next two years,” said Vaz.

A couple of foreign institutes have been trying to tie up with teacher training institutes in the city. “Two of them have approached our institute as well, but there are a lot of government norms that they will have to abide by, which keeps them at bay,” added Vaz. While the RTE talks about inclusive education for children with learning disabilities, teachers are not yet sensitized on the same. Awareness about learning disabilities still lacks among city school teachers. Identifying students with disabilities is still a problem, claim experts in dyslexia.

With the continuous and curriculum evaluation now implemented in schools across boards, teachers’ training institute is yet to teach prospective teachers the rules of the new policy. “Teachers are not equipped with the new techniques. Several B Ed schools are now conducting separate workshops for teachers to train them to handle the new reforms. Schools are even trying to make their own manual based on the CCE pattern released by Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) and the state board,” said a teacher from a teaching training institute in Colaba.

Teachers, for the first time, are being exposed to issues like handling agitated parents. The no-fail policy has given parents more power over the teachers. Teachers are getting frustrated over their inability of handling the students and their aggressive parents. Teacher training institutes are trying to tie up with schools to collectively resolve the issue, even as they eagerly wait for the reforms in their curriculum.