Quality Education Hinges On Quality Teachers

Capturing the Human heart on Unsplash

By 2030, ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development, including, among others, through education for sustainable development and sustainable lifestyles, human rights, gender equality, promotion of a culture of peace and non-violence, global citizenship and appreciation of cultural diversity and of culture’s contribution to sustainable development.

The Goal 4 of the United Nations SDGs calls for quality education for all and lifelong learning opportunities. India is a signatory to the SDGs, and therefore India is under obligation to ensure quality education for all by 2030. We have made great strides in the universalisation of primary educatio; widening the access to education, improving gross enrolment ratio and in revamping Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, a flagship programme of the Govt. to promote Education for All. However, the enrolment in the higher education remains low at a 23%. Ensuring quality education for all and promoting lifelong learning opportunities remain a distant dream.

Mr Arun Jaitley, the finance minister, in his budget speech in February 2018, reiterated that the improvement in the quality of teachers could improve the quality of education in the country. The question, how individuals entering the teaching profession reluctantly and only to make a livelihood, with no motivation or conviction, can be the agents of change? The answer may not fall within the purview of the union budget, but the country has to reflect on it. In the 1.5 million schools across India, 9 million teachers are estimated to be employed. Of these around 20% are not  trained. In the next five years, the current student enrolment, at 253 million, will swell by a 100 million more. The increased enrollment  would necessitate five hundred thousand additional schools to accommodate the children to ensure access to schooling for every child. India is a teacher-deficient country, right from the early childhood to the University level, a bit odd considering that we have a large pool of employable youth. The goals of imparting quality education can be driven only by a dedicated and committed team of teachers. India deserves a long pool of teachers voluntarily entering the profession as their first career option.

Recruitment of teachers of the quality, competence and calibre that one requires is rather a tricky one. It is a well-known fact that the best college graduates do not take up teaching as a preferred career option. Our teacher training colleges do not do justice in preparing teachers either. Having said that I must add, those who are passionate about teaching and wish to commit to teaching look forward to an institution known for right environment, growth opportunity and pleasant working conditions, which are sadly missing in most cases. The government and the school management should be encouraged to provide the best opportunities to prospective candidates. Once a teacher is in, their growth, learning and in-service education is the responsibility of the organisation. Every teacher has her first day. Only school leaders and mentors can help them be the first-rate teachers throughout their career.

More than three decades ago when I chose to engage with young children, I disappointed many in my family and friend circle. The trend was to go in for the civil services or at least a to secure a government job. Today most of my friends in different fields are willing to swap their position with mine. The difference lies in how fulfilling your experiences are. Are you prepared to tread the path relatively unknown? Do you have the gumption to follow your passion rather than the perceived notions of money, position, name and fame? Today’s youth are more risk-oriented than those from the previous generation. They are bold and confident. They do not face the same constraints as their counterparts did years ago. Ability to resolving social issues affecting millions; managing emotions and relationship; should draw more attention than the cognitive achievements which seem to enjoy maximum attention at the moment.

The consequences of teacher shortages are many. The purpose of schooling and educational governance suffers, class-size increases, teachers outside their domain are deployed affecting the quality of teaching-learning adversely. Policy makers, educationists and the top leadership of educational institutions must endeavour to create a cohort of quality teachers and educational professionals. Incentivising the teachers by offering them a platform to share their expertise and experience - both within and outside the school environment- will add to the existing efforts of professional development.

This article was first published in the Uday India