Kerala   

Let teachers keep pace with the times

It is high time a committee was formed to evaluate the performance and skill levels of school teachers, because majority of teachers especially Government teachers lack skills and knowledge in teaching. At the same time the government has to handle this move with utmost tact, otherwise it may backfire. If government could implement it successfully it would be a great leap in the history of Kerala’s education sector.

Ajiraj

Thrissur

A check and control system on school teachers is a welcome step, as far as it does not directly or indirectly affect their teaching profession or their teaching skills.

It is good if it gives benefits and more knowledge to the teachers. There should not be any politics in schools and the teachers should not be allowed to participate in politics as well.

Sreelakshmi Sankar

Poonithura

It is great to know that a system of performance and skill-knowledge level revision for school teachers is going to be in place.

The management of some schools are only interested in extracting lakhs of rupees from a person aspiring to become a teacher and they never conduct any skill level test for such aspirants. Over the years, this practice has damaged the quality of education availed by children from rural areas and those from poor and lower middle class families.

K.V. Prasannakumar

Kochi

There is no denying the fact that good school teachers play a very critical role in moulding the character of students and by extension that of the society as a whole.

There is need for a greater degree of application and commitment on the part of teachers and hence evaluating their knowledge base and other skills should act as an incentive for better achievements in their fields. Added to this those undergoing regular training programmes to hone their skills and those securing relevant higher in-service qualifications should be recognized and suitably rewarded.

R. Unnikrishnan

By email

The teaching profession is very important as they are the people who directly get involved in moulding the citizens of tomorrow. Hence, this profession needs timely and strict evaluation unlike other professions.

Capt. O.B. Nair

Poonithura

My suggestion is to ban political activities by teachers in the campus and those who want take part in political activities may resign and do so.

S.N. Thiruvazhiode

Poonithura

As far as teacher evaluation is concerned, first of all we need to develop a comprehensive standard for evaluation. Second is the quality of evaluators, whether they are truly professional and objective.

Third aspect is the measures and remedies with regard to the results of evaluation. The approach against low standards must be constructive, then only we will be able to get the cooperation of the teacher community in this process.

Good performers should be given more incentives and opportunities.

Sunil D. Kuruvilla

Mavelikara

A robust educational system is missing in the State. This aberration can be attributed to the teachers’ failure to update their skills and knowledge. The aim of good teaching is that the students must be able to assimilate what is taught and perform the intended task. At the induction level, a screening should be done to allow entry to teachers with a genuine interest in teaching.

N. Sadasivan Pillai

Modinabad

Real education consists in teaching students the art of learning.

Indeed, every good educative process should instil in the students a thirst for knowledge that will enable them to realize their full potential and prepare them for life. .

Ajiraj

Thrissur

Evaluation of teaching skills is important. It is the responsibility of a teacher to acquire new skills and adapt to new technology. But unfortunately we see a lot of teachers who are indifferent to this. The performance of a teacher should be assessed twice in a school year.

Sreenath S.K

Kulathoor-Prayar

In Kerala the education system should be reformed. A move by the state government appointed committee is welcome. So far there was no such system to check the quality of teaching. As any job, a continuous and constant monitoring is needed for the improvement. More than that, our education system should be more student-oriented.

Jancy Antony

Kanjany

The committee’s recommendations are to be accepted by the government and implemented at the earliest. Nowadays, many teachers are not interested in teaching the students, but they are engaged in many other businesses. Some are taking private tuitions, some are engaged with network marketing insurance and many more are engaged in business. The government should stop the other business activities of teachers first.

P. Sankaranarayanan

Petta

Teaching standards and teachers’ performance have for long been subject to assessment. An improvement is in focusing more on the students: how education should help them and how it actually does, and how well the teachers contribute to this aim.

In doing so, the authorities can really match or relate the inputs in teacher training like orientation, refresher and upgrading courses with the output of students’ knowledge levels and skills.

The key step is to make sure that teachers regularly devote to learning as much time as to teaching, if not more than that, so they are abreast with the times and are at the cutting edge of knowledge. They should also make use of the Internet for the purpose.

Devraj Sambasivan

Alappuzha

The recommendation to evaluate the skill-knowledge and performance of teachers is welcome. The evaluation process should be systematic with active participation and involvement of teachers, students, parents, managements and government. Necessary training should be given to all to create awareness. Learning is a continuous and never ending process. Periodic paper presentation before the seminar involving evaluators, students and PTA will boost the aim. The idea is good, but the question whether the government will be able to implement it or not remains to be seen.

A.K. Rajan

Ayyanthole

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