Get trained or terminated : Ibobi
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, January 23 2014 : All elementary school teachers must get themselves trained in a two year diploma course by December 2015 otherwise they would be terminated from service, stated Chief Minister O Ibobi.

Ibobi was speaking at the inaugural session of an introductory two-year diploma course for untrained elementary teachers at MFDC auditorium today.

The course is being jointly organised by Department of SCERT, Tribal Affairs and Hills Department and SSA, State Mission Authority Manipur.

The inaugural session was attended by Chief Minister O Ibobi as chief guest, Education Minister M Okendro as president and MLA Ng Bijoy, MLA D Korungthang and Parliamentary Secretary Vungzagin Valte as guests of honour.

The diploma course would be conducted in open distance learning mode under Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU).

CM attend Launching Programme of Training of Untrained Elementary Teachers through Open Distance Learning (ODL) Mode Under IGNOU at MFDC, Auditorium Pix - Arunkumar Thongam

As the Indian Parliament has already passed the Free and Compulsory Education Act, all children across the country should be ensured the right to education compulsorily, Ibobi asserted.

Primary teachers or elementary school teachers are required to undergo a two-year diploma course on teaching methodology under the National Council of Tea-chers Training.

Of all the elementary school teachers appointed by the State Government since 2001, more than 700 teachers are yet to undergo training.

Elementary school teachers would undergo the two-year diploma course in distance learning mode under IGNOU so that teachers have all the requisite qualifications prescribed by NCTE.

Calling upon all untrained teachers to work hard in their spare time and complete the diploma course, Ibobi stated that the Ministry of Human Resource Development would spend Rs 12,000 on each teacher for the diploma course.

Teachers who cannot clear the diploma course would be terminated as per the NCTE guidelines, stated the Chief Minister.

Noting that there are many part-time teachers working in colleges, higher secondary schools and aided colleges for the past many years who in the meantime have forgone any opportunity of securing other jobs, Ibobi assured that the Government would consider all available options for them once RUSA is implemented.

Education Minister M Okendro informed that Rs 3.27 crore has been released so far out of Rs 7.90 crore sanctioned by the Centre for training untrained elementary school teachers of the State.

To see the requisite qualifications of teachers and infrastructure necessary for both Government and private schools as demanded by the Right to Free and Compulsory Education Act, Education Department has constituted by a committee.

Teachers who cannot pass the training course would be terminated according to the NCTE guidelines, he reminded.

The inaugural session was also attended by IGNOU Pro Vice Chancellor Sushma Yadav.