District Institutes of Education and Training - Teacher Education

District Institutes of Education and Training: A Comparative Study in Three Indian States
skill base. The inadequacy of training in this model was captured by a Masuda
DIET lecturer:
We are giving them demonstration and we have faith. But in ten days we cannot
give them all the skills. So he is not becoming an expert in those skills, that why
to use those skills in the schools is difficult (RAJ/MAS TT01 January 1999).
Teachers in Dhar District also raised the issue of the sustainability of training
inputs. They saw more potential in a different, cluster-level approach, as one said:
All this money in training is being wasted. If you really want to utilize this
money, then you motivate teachers to see schools which are becoming
better and progressing, so that teachers will learn from teachers and enforce
that particular strategy in that cluster. If any problem arises in implementation,
its solution should be sought through those teachers (MP/DHA T077
September 99).
5.4 Training processes
During the project period, the project team observed many in-service training
programmes. The following episodes of observation across DIETs in July 1999
give an indication of the training approaches that staff were adopting.
5.4.1 The transmission approach
Special Orientation for Elementary Teachers (SOPT) in Udaipur DIET
In Udaipur DIET, staff placed much emphasis on the national Special Orientation
for Elementary Teachers (SOPT) programme. This centrally-sponsored scheme
was launched in 1993-94 to cover 45000 elementary school teachers every year,
and has three major foci:
1. To provide competencies as envisaged in the Minimum Levels of Learning
2. To develop competencies in the use of Operation Blackboard materials supplied
to elementary schools
3. To encourage teachers to adopt a child-centred approach to learning (MHRD
1995: v).
The teacher handbook for the scheme is divided into two parts: an ‘awareness
package’ containing information about schemes and issues (such as Operation
Blackboard, Minimum Levels of Learning, evaluation, education of special groups,
multi-grade teaching) and a ‘performance package’ with seven units focusing
directly on teaching (teaching of language, teaching of mathematics, teaching of
environmental studies, art education, etc.). It is up to the DIET itself to choose
how this material is shared with teachers.
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