This story is from October 2, 2014

NCTE rejects plea to expand teacher-educator pool's skill

For two years now, one of the best educational institutes in the country has been knocking on the doors of the National Council for Teacher Training and HRD ministry to include science education as a qualification for teacher education.
NCTE rejects plea to expand teacher-educator pool's skill
NEW DELHI: For two years now, one of the best educational institutes in the country has been knocking on the doors of the National Council for Teacher Training and HRD ministry to include science education as a qualification for teacher education. But so far success has eluded the Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education (HBCSE) which operates under the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR).

On Wednesday, TIFR director Mustansir Barma wrote to HRD ministry asking it to consider the matter seriously in the interest of school education in India. Barma's letter assumes importance as the NCTE council yet again refused to entertain HBCSE's plea in its recent meeting.
However, Barma maintained that HBCSE is an exemplar of the interest taken by the science community at the frontiers of scientific research in school education. "It brings a high level of competence in science together with commitment towards and insight into school education," Barma wrote.
Barma said the Ph.D programme at HBCSE is a rigorous and systematic research programme. The course, he said, seeks to develop among its graduates deep knowledge of the school subject and its pedagogy in an integrated manner.
Making its plea for inclusion of Ph.D in science education as a qualification for teacher educator, Barma said "students enter the Ph.D in science education with master's degree in science or mathematics, but not necessarily with M.Ed." Barma said given the "high level of this program which is unique in the country, it is important that Ph.Ds in science education should be allowed entry into the teacher educator pool."
HBCSE has also been citing Justice Verma Commission (JVC) report on teacher education that stressed on the need to broad-base essential qualification framework for teacher educators. JVC had said post-graduate degree in social sciences, sciences, language, mathematics along with a professional first degree in education or a doctorate degree in mathematics or science education should be considered appropriate qualifications for teacher educators.
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