Teachers confused by eligibility criteria for training in Finland

In a unique step taken to train the teachers in elementary schools, the Education Department has decided to send about 72 teachers from the primary schools, for training in Finland. Many conditions have been laid by the department for the eligibility criteria. One of the conditions says the candidate should have 20 recommendations/references endorsing his/her good work that indicates 10 parents of present students and 10 ex-students each. On this particular condition, the teachers have mixed views.

“I don’t understand the relevance of these recommendations. Now, we will be on a hunt to find parents, who would endorse that we did exceptionally well. We can still approach the parents of the students who are studying in the schools but those, who have passed-out, how can we reach them especially when the time is too short to apply?,” asked one of the teachers.

As this would be the training-session for elementary teachers, those teaching in primary schools, it will not be an easy task to locate the students, who have gone to higher classes or have left the schools.

Meanwhile, an official with the department said when everything was available with the department — the teachers’ ACRs, their teaching methods, their complaints, behaviour towards the students — there was no need for any recommendation by the parents.

“The teachers can get the parents’ quote of his/her choice by connecting with the teachers of the higher classes where those students are currently studying,” the official added.

The visit of teachers is aimed at honing teaching and learning skills at the primary school level, the first batch of 72 primary school teachers are set to embark on a three-week training programme at University of Turku, Finland, renowned for primary school teaching techniques. The memorandum of understanding between the department and the University of Turku is expected to be signed in the coming days in Delhi. Under the MoU, every year, two-three batches of teachers would be sent to Finland.