BHUBANESWAR: The state government has decided to strictly enforce the norm of Odisha Teacher Eligibility Test (OTET) qualified teachers in privately managed schools at elementary level in order to be eligible for getting Certificate of Recognition (COR) from next academic year.
In its letter issued to the district education officers (DEOs) in this regard last week, Directorate of Elementary Education has stated that as per the instruction of the Principal Secretary of School and Mass Education department, the schools which fulfil the required conditions but have not been issued COR for want of OTET qualified teachers may be recommended approval for this academic session.
But, those schools will have to give an undertaking that their teachers are trained and OTET qualified in order to get COR from next year.
Chudamani Seth, Director, Elementary Education said as per the rules framed by the state government in line with the provisions of Right to Education Act, teachers in both government and private schools have to clear OTET to be eligible for teaching at elementary level. But the schools will be granted relaxation this year. However, the rule will be enforced strictly from the next academic session, Seth said.
Meanwhile, parents’ associations welcomed the decision but said it should have been enforced much earlier to improve the standard of primary and upper primary education.