Minister of State for Tourism, Education, Technical Education, Culture, Horticulture, Floriculture and Parks Priya Sethiinaugurated first stage of the professional training of 5000 untrained teachers of the state. The 3-day long workshop on training of study centre coordinators and Master Trainers of Jammu division was kick started today.The massive exercise is being executed by the Directorate of SSA, J&K in collaboration with the National School of Open Schooling (NIOS), an autonomous institute of the MHRD, GoI.Among others, State Project Director, Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA), SSA, Saugat Biswas, Director, School Education, Jammu Smita Sethi, Chairman, National Open School (NIOS) Prof C.B. Sharma, Director Academics NIOS Dr. Kuldeep Agarwal and Coordinators as well as Master Trainers were present at the inauguration ceremony.
While addressing the gathering, the Minister said that in order to bring forth positive changes in the education system periodic training of teaching fraternity is must and the latest step undertaken by joint efforts of SSA and NIOS would go a long way in fine tuning the skills of teachers. She said every professional in order to keep abreast with latest trends undergoes training and the same applies to noble profession of teaching.“SSA and NIOS has come up with unique initiative to train our untrained staff and I appeal all teachers to come forward to make this program a grand success in the state,” she added.She impressed upon the Master Trainers to work with zeal and dedication and train the
Resource Persons as per the instructions and training received in the workshop.Saugat Biswas informed that an MoU was signed between the Directorate of SSA and National Institute of Open Schooling and as on date more than 3200 untrained teachers have registered for the program and the target of training 8700 untrained undergraduate teachers in the next two years has been fixed, he added.He said that a total of 78 Study Centres have been identified across the State where the course shall be conducted through the distance mode and would cause no disturbance to regular teaching in the schools.A 400 strong force of Master Trainers, Resource Persons, Mentors shall be put in place for conduct of the exercise in a span of two years. In Jammu division, today thirty four Study Centre Coordinators and fifty five Master Trainers attended the first day of the workshop.