SHILLONG: A controversy of sort has emerged from the recent announcement by the Meghalaya Upper Primary School Teachers Association (MUPSTA) regarding D.El.Ed programme and qualifications of upper primary school teachers in accordance with NCTE norms and RTE, Act 2005.
MUPSTA notified that those teachers with graduation or Master’s Degree should also enroll in the programme and must also secure the required percentage of marks in class XII examinations otherwise they must re-appear for the improvement examination.
This announcement is contrary to the updates being uploaded at the website of the state education department, www.meg-education.gov.in under Directorate of Educational Research and Training, Notice Board, wherein the link “Updates for D.El.Ed Course” mentioned in Clause No. 3 stating that “Teachers with a Graduate Degree (BA/BSc/BCom) need not do the improvement exam for class XII.”
This has irked many graduate teachers questioning MUPSTA regarding its notice issued in the local media last week and sought further clarity on the matter.
“Is there no value for graduation these days that we have to sit for a class XII improvement examination,” said a graduate teacher from a city based deficit pattern school.
There are many teachers, who are gripped with several health and other problems and it may not be a viable option for them to sit in an examination at this age, one of the teachers said.
Several of these aggrieved graduate teachers also questioned the “last chance” for teachers to procure qualification according the NCTE Norm and RTE Act 2009 or else their services may be terminated after March 31, 2019.
Other than these, the aggrieved teachers has urged an explanation from the Association on the criteria adopted behind the appointment of those teachers before September 3, 2001 cutoff date, that they need not enroll themselves in the D.El.Ed programme, while the same is required for those appointed on or after September 3, 2001.
“Why is there no training for those untrained teachers who were appointed prior to 2001,” they questioned while adding that many of these teachers have numerous years of services left and that may also affect the quality of education.
Similarly, there are several matriculate teachers whereas there is no clarity in that regard.
The website link “Updates for D.El.Ed course” however says in Clause No. 4 that “Class X passed teachers will have to submit their information to their respective SDSEO’s. They are not eligible for the D.El.Ed course.”
