The Department of Pre- University Education (PUE) is taking measures to improve the teaching abilities of those who joined the department as teachers after obtaining their PG degree through distance education.
This is being done after a report was submitted by the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) that trained science teachers of Government PU colleges at the Talent Development Centre at its Chitradurga campus.
After the training, Prof M S Hegde, in-charge of the Centre, submitted a detailed ‘Post Training’ report to PUE Department. In the report, the professor commented on the learning abilities of teachers those who have completed their post-graduation course through distance mode (TNIE, October 30, 2013).
Reacting to the report published in Express, Dr Rame Gowda, Director of PUE Department, said: “We have taken the report seriously and are forwarding the same to the govern tment for further action along with some corrective measures which can be adopted for improvement.”
Gowda further said, “We cannot send out those who have already been appointed. But we will definitely take serious measures to make them good teachers.”
Even Rame Gowda agreed, as the PUE Department has adopted CBSE syllabus for science courses, the quality of teaching should be improved. “We will also communicate through the government to all the universities which have distance education to make practical classes mandatory and also to make them more effective,” he added.
Primary Education Minister Kimmane Rathnakar said, “We will look into it (report).”
Academician Reacts
Prof R S Deshpande, former director, Institute for Socio and Economic Change (ISEC) feels there should not be a graded hierarchy of knowledge and institutions.
He advised universities to conduct compulsory practical classes for science courses. “Universities should not take it lightly,” he added.