Kerala   

Teachers should be able to keep pace with changing times

The suggestion will help effect qualitative change in the education system because most teachers, on getting appointment, become lax. They refrain from working hard to excel in their field. Hence the committee’s recommendation, with due orientation, will benefit students.

M. Sunil Kumar

Kollam

Teachers are interviewed before their appointment. Moreover, they are qualified professionals. So, attempt to assess their talent and knowledge in the discipline at a later stage seems redundant. Besides, it will belittle their integrity.

N. Ramchandran

Vakkom

Among teachers, now, performers and laggards are treated alike. There is no incentive for them to excel or to go beyond the routine requirements. Those who do not perform are not penalised either. The proposed move to assess the performance of the teachers on a continuous basis is welcome. Teachers need to upgrade knowledge and hone skills to fulfil their responsibilities in this age. Academic exchanges with other States can keep them in touch with the innovative methods practiced elsewhere. Best teacher awards can be instituted for every district. A revision of syllabi for teacher training courses to suit the changing scenario is urgently required.

The evaluation must be based on a transparent set of standards. There should not be any harassment. Training has to be imparted to those who show lack of aptitude to adapt to the changes. The message is clear. Accountability cannot be evaded any longer.

V.N. Mukundarajan

Thiruvananthapuram

The evaluation system is welcome but care should be taken while selecting the committee members. External powers should not influence the system. Teachers who do well must be amply rewarded too, monetarily. Top students do not opt for a teaching career now. For talent to be attracted to this field, remuneration must be enticing. So, the financial aspect cannot be sidelined.

Premalatha

Thiruvananthapuram

More then knowledge, teachers’ performance needs to be assessed. Academic excellence and knowledge are not the prime requisites of a good teacher. The way they impart their knowledge to the students is more important. The cluster meetings are a farce. No one benefits from them. What is needed is better instruction to teachers by experts.

Nripan Bos

Pathanamthitta

Evaluation of performance and knowledge level of teachers is unscientific. These aspects are tested at various levels before selection by way of written examination and interviews. What is needed is better communication skills for teachers. A few years ago, a university in Chennai conducted a research on why students become restless and unresponsive in classrooms. It was revealed that students got confused once teachers begin to explain things. Bookish language is used for instruction and students lose interest in the subject. Teachers need sharp, forceful, effective and precise language to share their knowledge. This is the need of the times.

K. Ram Das

Kozhencherry

To improve the education system, teachers training and evaluation should be a continuing process, especially at the school level. So, the move is welcome. How well the plan will work depends on the way it is implemented. Education at the school level has a strong psychological connotation. At this level, the student’s personality is moulded. So, teachers must hone skills continually, to keep pace with the changing times and guide students.

B.K.S. Nair

Thiruvananthapuram

The government’s efforts to assess and improve teachers’ skills need to be appreciated. Many teachers are not well trained. They find it difficult to communicate to students. Students are forced to listen to boring lectures, most of which are beyond their comprehension. So they go for tuitions. If teachers did their job well, would the children suffer thus?

Joel

Thiruvananthapuram

In this competitive age, by the time students finish their studies, they must be ready for the job market. Quality education system builds their character and competence. Only those teachers who are tuned to the changing trends can guide students. Seminars and courses must be arranged to train them in innovative teaching techniques, making teaching more interesting and practical.

P. Antony

Thiruvananthapuram

The present generation is capable of challenging teachers, posing intelligent questions. So, it is imperative that the teachers are skilful enough to clear their doubts. So, the step taken by the State government offers teachers an opportunity to nurture their skills. The students will benefit immensely from the qualitative change in education this system, if implemented, will usher in.

Jeevan

Thiruvananthapuram

Evaluation of teachers is a necessity. Many teachers have limited knowledge and teaching skills. If they are not evaluated, the educational system loses quality and ultimately it reflects on the students.

Teachers have to realise that they are the prime source of knowledge, mentors and motivators to students. Teachers who do not perform well must not be punished. New avenues must be created to improve their skills and they must be encouraged to continue in the profession. Otherwise, problems might crop up. Questions would be raised on why only school teachers are evaluated.

Naresh S.J.

Thumba

It is easy to formulate theories. The hard part is implementation. Measures adopted with a view to improve the quality of education are always welcome. Periodical evaluation of performance of a worker in a firm may be effective in helping him to jack up his abilities, but the same methodology does not work in the case of a teacher or a government official whose duties are quite different. It cannot be measured. The new proposal is unlikely to find favour with the teaching community. It will make things more complicated. Former president A.P.J. Abdul Kalam in his ‘Wings of Fire’ quoted one Idayadurai Solomon, a teacher of his Ramanathapuram school as having said “a good student could learn more from a bad teacher than a poor student from a skilled teacher.” Education depends more on the quality of students than that of teachers. Education should be more student-centric.

A.N. Balan

Thiruvananthapuram

Many of our teachers still follow outdated, ineffective teaching practices. No effort is made to keep abreast of the latest developments in their field, be it curriculum or teaching methodology. The reason behind this attitude is that there is no incentive for them to strive towards improving themselves and their work – both in quality and quantity. The only solution is the ‘performance-based incentive mechanism.’ Incentives can come in the form of awards, promotions or salary increment. If implemented properly, this system should not create confusion. But in our country, as in other cases, corruption and bias are likely to pollute this system too. So, the government must go for a slow, flawless, transparent and participatory process.

Renjan Mathew Varghese

Thiruvananthapuram

This is a progressive step by the Kerala government. It will have far-reaching consequences, by way of improving the quality of teaching in our schools. But, some steps have to be followed to make this effort successful.

A time frame must be fixed for achieving this goal. Appropriate parameters must be set. Assessment could be on the basis of feedback from students, parents and colleagues.

Monthly or fortnightly reviews are required to assess the rate of progress in performance or skill. Training and mentoring also must become an integral part of the process.

N.R.U.K. Kartha

Thiruvananthapuram

As a first step, the details of the proposed system should be made available to public. The committee must be constituted in a transparent manner. Evaluation of performance and skill knowledge levels of teachers is not an easy task. It will be better if a cross-section of the society is allowed to judge the performance of each teacher and school. Majority of the teachers are not aware of what the society expects from them.

B. Prabha

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