ANDIETFA appeals for establishment of DIET in all districts
Our Correspondent
Kohima | November 25
The All Nagaland District Institute of Education & Training Faculty Association (ANDIETFA) today made a fervent plea to the State Government to establish District Institutes of Education & Training (DIET) in all the districts.
It also requested that DIETs in the 3 districts, namely Kiphire, Longleng and Peren be made functional as soon as possible and establishment of BITEs in the previous proposed blocks and upgradation of some of the existing DIETs to that of multidisciplinary institutions for offering four year B.Ed integrated course.
In a representation submitted to Kevileno Angami, Commissioner & Secretary for School Education, SCERT and Economics and Statistics, Nagaland during its 1st general conference in Kohima, ANDIETFA sought intervention in considering its plea to ensure a high-quality teacher training in content as well as in pedagogy as required by National Education Policy 2020.
“It will also ensure progression of service, thereby inducing decent and pleasant service conditions of the DIET employees,” said ANDIETFA President Kenilo Semp and General Secretary Dr Aneile Puro.
Stating that education is vital in creating a pool of school teachers that will shape the next generation, the representation stated “the National Education Policy-2020 (NEP-2020) has emphasized that all stand-alone Teacher Education Institutes (TEIs) will be required to be converted to multidisciplinary institutions by 2030 and will have to offer 4-year integrated teacher preparation programme.”
The representation stated that at present, out of 16 districts in Nagaland, there are only 8 functioning DIETs in 8 districts. It mentioned that there has been a commitment and proposal (2012-2013) for establishment of 3 DIETs in three districts namely Kiphire, Longleng and Peren.
There has also been a proposal to establish 8 BITEs in the previous years (2012- 2013), by the Government to cater to the needs of the Elementary School Teachers and also to ensure upward mobility of the DIET employees.
“However, even after the lapse of 10 years, no DIETs have been established in the above mentioned districts nor has BITEs been established in spite of the fact that the infrastructure for some of the DIETs and BITEs has been completed, as also some on the verge of completion,” the representation noted.
By 2030, the 4-year integrated B.Ed will become minimal degree qualification for school teachers. This urgently requires for upgradation of some of the existing DIETs to that of multidisciplinary institutions so that the DIETS will be in a position to offer 4 year integrated B.Ed course within a stipulated timeframe, it observed.
The representation mentioned that there is no upward mobility in the service of DIET employees in spite of “best efforts in producing quality Elementary School teachers across the state and there has been huge stagnation with most of employees remaining in the same cadre post for 8- 10 years.”
“This stagnation in the service of DIETs employees is adversely impacting the seniority with that of the employees of SCERT during amalgamation of the two cadres, at present and will also be in the future,” it stated.
Govt to look into matter
Responding to the representation submitted by ANDIETFA, Kevileno Angami informed that civil works for some of the DIETs have been completed and some are in the pipeline. “Definitely, there is a need to activate these DIETs so that we have more teachers training institutes,” she said.
She said the government will look into the matter but some procedure has to be followed. Meanwhile, she urged the teacher educators to inculcate work ethics and moral values to the people.
“Every day, we hear of proxy teachers, absenteeism in our government schools,” as some fail to realize the importance of their roles and also because of the absence of work ethics, she observed. She stated that teachers are highly qualified and very resourceful but there is absence of work ethics in many of them.
Recently, the government conducted interview on recruitment of maths and science teachers for government schools.
The appointment orders are yet to be issued. But, already, people are lobbying for transferring and posting to urban places only, not willing to serve in the remote areas, she lamented.
This attitude has to change, she insisted.
