Over 44,000 untrained teachers of Assam need to acquire D.El.Ed. by March 31, 2019

The Centre has asked all untrained in-service elementary teachers of the government, government aided, unaided and private schools to acquire the requisite minimum professional qualifications by March 31, 2019.

In a letter sent to the Assam government on August 3 last, the Ministry of Human Resources Development and Department of School Education and Literacy said that, if any teacher in the aforementioned schools, who does not have the minimum qualifications mandated under the RTE Act, 2009, would not be allowed to continue in-service beyond April 1, 2019 and procedure for dismissal shall be initiated against such teachers.

According to the Assam government data, 44797 teachers of government run elementary schools and 36856 teachers of private schools are still untrained and they have not acquired minimum professional qualifications.

Following the Centre directive, the untrained teachers have mandatory to acquire D. El. Ed. by March 31, 2019.

According to the Centre directive, the untrained teachers  are also required 50 per cent in Class 12 to achieve the minimum qualification

“Teachers, who do not fulfill the minimum eligibility (50 per cent) requirement for taking admission in D.El.Ed. programme, will have to join National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) and re-appear for the Class 12 examination. The D.El.Ed. certificate would be given only when the teacher acquires 50 per cent in Class 12 examination,” the Centre notification said.

Meanwhile, teachers association of Assam had opposed the Union government’s directive and urged the both state and union government to rectify the notification.

(Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath)